


Don't Bet on It

by ThiccLog



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angels, Bill is an ass, Breaking and Entering, Demons, Donuts, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Guns, Human Bill Cipher, M/M, Mafia AU, Magic, New Vegas (Las Vegas), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Plot, Smut, Vents, bottom!dipper, casino - Freeform, dipper is a bean, for air and shit, fyi - this is gonna be a long fic, it only took them like 30 chapters, kind of, like actual vents, orphan!Dipper, slightly in the future, they fuck, they're more lowkey tho, this bad boy can fit so many vents, top!Bill, yeah boi you heard it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:13:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 118,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26877985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThiccLog/pseuds/ThiccLog
Summary: Bill Cipher, a corrupt, criminal and not quite human casino owner, is struggling to pay his loans or lose his head. There wouldn’t be an issue if it weren’t for a certain orphan by the name of Dipper Pines to run a cross through his plans. The situation turns when Bill finds out Dipper is actually capable of powerful magic and worth a ton of cash.Together, they struggle to get Bill’s business back on track while fighting the Gleefuls who have a choking grip on both Bill and all of New Vegas.If only Bill didn’t have more problems that required payment in the form of an angel. Bill's decision isn't an easy one.
Relationships: Bill Cipher & Dipper Pines, Bill Cipher/Dipper Pines
Comments: 322
Kudos: 207





	1. Limbo

Bill Cipher had never been good at being humble. Dressed in one of his many exquisite suits and golden jewelry, he clinked champagne glasses with New Vegas’ elite on a daily basis. Less often than he would’ve liked, if he was being honest and oh did he miss honesty. 

That was a lie in case it wasn’t obvious.

This evening, the occasion for glass-clinking was quite a special one.

“Attention, please! I have a few words to share!” Bill called from the main stage of the hall, overlooking the excited hustle and bustle. The people turned to him, laid down their gaming chips and lowered their cards, gazing up in envy or admiration.

Bill grinned in satisfaction. His dark skin glimmered in the spotlight, complemented by his bespoke teal suit. Blonde hair faded to copper, then to bitter chocolate at the back. Golden metal adorned his ears and fingers. If people didn’t like him for his looks or suave tongue, they were usually attracted by his abundant wealth and in a place like this, it was hard to find one who cared for neither.

“First of all, I would like to thank you for coming here and supporting my dainty little palace, Limbo.” He motioned towards the black marble columns, the golden embellishments and the high-tech gambling equipment all over the casino hall. People snickered. Good. If people liked him, it meant they would spend more money. They felt better giving cash to a ‘trustworthy’ person. Clearly they didn’t know Bill at all. “I’m glad the renovation has been so well received! It cost a fortune but I’m sure you’re aware how much renaissance style statues like these cost.”

‘Laocoön and his Sons’, a classic. Not that he cared much. It wasn’t the original, of course. That had been blown to bits when an earthquake hit the Vatican in 2032, four years ago. This statue was a tribute to an acquaintance, a reinterpretation featuring obsidian tentacles instead of the snakes.

Bill verbally rubbed honey over all his customers until they were so sticky that they couldn’t help but to throw more cash into the slots as soon as they were done applauding him. It was comical to watch, really. Thinking they would come out richer than before, maybe with women at each arm. Thinking they were in control. They were all just pawns, pitiful sacks of money. 

Bill bowed one last time before he stepped off the stage, striding over to familiar faces at the bar.

“Mister Cipher?” An airy voice asked behind him.

He turned. “The one and only, at your service,” Bill purred, a grin slipping over his face like a well-loved mask.

The woman in front of him was beautiful, no doubt. Long lashes and red lips. There were plenty of them here. Nothing special. Her dress is what stood out. The fabric looked like pure gold, diamonds shimmering on it like stars without visible seams. It was a true masterpiece. A work of art if he had ever seen one. This one smelled of status and power.

She offered her hand. “I was wondering if you mayhaps be interested in a date? I know you must get asked a lot. I am-”

“Oh, of course, sunshine!” He didn’t get her name but kissed her ringed hand anyways. One more pigeon to pluck. Or a pheasant in this case. “I would be delighted! Why don’t we go to a restaurant tomorrow? I heard the Italian down the street is divine.”

“Whatever you fancy,” the woman said with a smile Bill had seen countless times before.

A bland one, huh? Disappointing. Even if Bill wanted to continue their talk, he didn’t have the time as he was in high demand. “Excuse me.”

He watched as two men and two women, all dressed in light blue suits, pushed through guests, heading for him. He bit back a groan. Wonderful. Of course those bastards had to visit on this exact day. He didn’t want to know what they were after this time. 

One of the blue-suited women stepped up to him. She had dark bangs which didn’t sit low enough to cover her frown. “Bill Cipher, we come here on behalf of Gideon Gleeful.”

Well, he knew that much. Bill sighed. Gideon Gleeful was a pain in the ass and Bill would jump at the chance to get rid of him. The only problem was how much power that kid held over the city. If Bill didn’t loathe him so much, he might’ve called him impressive. “I know who you are. I know who you work for. Get to the point.”

A man who was almost as tall as Bill yet lanky as a tree spoke up. “It’s about your um… your loans.”

“Again? Gideon knows I just reopened Limbo, of course I need some time to get money flowing,” Bill said, displeased.

“He wants the money. Now,” the woman growled.

“Woah, no need to get hostile.” Bill laughed. He kept up a pleasant, maybe slightly mocking smile to hide his frustration. This might become a problem. Bill was aware of the fact that he owed the Gleeful’s some money and he received several letters that asked him to pay up over the last couple of months. This was the first time he sent anyone in person. “Follow me to the back.”

He led them through the huge hallways, past several antique paintings, to a less grandiose looking room. An old, rusty vent crossed the ceiling and there were several shelves filled with dusty cartons. The floor was marble but it wasn’t as polished and had various stains on it only a keen eye could spot. Bill paid the cleaning staff mostly for silence.

He closed the door behind them. None of Gideon’s little minions looked concerned. The tall man inspected his shoes while the dark haired woman looked at her watch.

She crossed her arms. “We’re here to collect your-”

“I said I know why you’re here,” Bill said.

She squinted at him. “Then where is the cash?”

The other woman laughed. “He probably has none, bluffing son of a bitch! Good luck getting this kinda money.” 

“I could pay up right now, however I will make more money faster if I keep it for now. He can collect it later. I’ll even pay extra if that’s what he wants.” Bill pressed his lips together. So much for honesty. “Right now would be inconvenient for both of our interests.”

“We are not bargaining here. You owe him money. He gave you a deadline and you didn’t pay up.”

“That may be the truth.” To be fair, Bill probably already had to pay more than that to Gideon in taxes for ‘protection’. What did he receive for his payments? Nothing. It was a sham they could only run because he was in charge around here. The annoying light blue mafia ran by an even more annoying teenager. “I’m sure Gideon has enough monetary assets to keep him afloat.”

The fact that Gideon had more than Bill left a sour taste in his mouth. Spoilt brat.

The tall man fiddled with his collar. His suit wasn’t sitting right. “Gideon did say he would accept um... ‘the blueprint’.” 

Bill laughed. That was rich. The kid must’ve gone mad if he thought Bill would hand him a weapon like that as a loan. He walked over to the tall man who perked up as Bill reached out. “We destroyed that thing a long time ago.”

“W-what are you doing!?” He tried to back off but Bill’s iron grip on his shoulder wouldn’t allow it.

Bill straightened the man’s suit, tugging on the lapels and brushing over the silver pin in the shape of a pentagram with an eye in the middle. He had a nametag on it as well.

‘Tom Strange’s eyes went wide. Fearful. He was probably the only halfway sensible person in this room, besides Bill himself of course. “Young man, you need to stop ironing your lapels. Seriously, it ruins the whole look.”

“Cipher! This is NOT a joke!” The dark haired woman called, pulling a gun. The other two followed her example. The tall man started to tremble.

“Oh, please! Lighten up a little!” In one swift motion, Bill wrapped his arm around Tom’s throat, pushing him in front of himself. Tom was a bit thin for a human shield. He tried to free himself, without success. It was almost cute. “I doubt Gideon wanted blood to be shed. At least not today.”

“We  _ will _ shoot!”

“I don’t doubt it,” Bill stated with a genuine grin. Adrenaline pumped through his veins. Finally some real excitement.

“N-no! Please-” The man winced, tears soaking into Bill’s suit. Gross.

The other three didn’t back down. They had been trained well, Bill assumed. Probably taught to take sacrifices. Killing one of their own was like getting up in the morning.

“What are you waiting for? Don’t tell me you’re scared,” Bill sneered.

The woman tensed. Her stance shifted. She was ready. Bill knew that look. She would kill her ally to hit her enemy. Cruel and merciless. Her index finger tightened around the trigger and within a couple of seconds, Bill and his new friend would have a very ugly hole right in the middle of their chests.

Not with Bill in the equation.

He let his power crackle through his veins all the way to his fingertips unil lightning shot through the air, bolting towards the three humans and piering their fragile flesh suits with ease. They dropped to the ground. The gun clattered to the floor.

Bill hummed, lowering his hands. “I’m surprised Gideon forgets how inefficient guns are against demons.”

Tom stopped struggling, staring at the bodies.

Bill let him go. He didn’t want tears on his suit. “You should be thanking me. They were gonna sacrifice you. Maybe pick better allies next time.”

He kicked the woman’s head and sauntered out of the room. Tommy Tom Tom wouldn’t do any harm.

After being stopped by a dozen more guests, Bill finally reached the bar. It was time for a bottle of whiskey or three.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I FINALLY GET TO POST THIS HOE OF A FIC! I've literally been working on this since May. No joke. I have (pretty much) all of it written out and revised so I can release chapters as I edit and format them. That being said, I just started college so I can't guarantee regular uploads, HOWEVER I promise you, I will not let this fic die. I WILL POST ALL OF IT AND IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO.
> 
> Okay cool.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Special thanks to my betas, Ging and Ry as well as Cami who is the biggest meme and Sinna for putting up with my questions about Sahir. Ur all gud beebs.


	2. Mindscape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to yerianais, DeathLie, Overadventurefalls12, Ginger_Bimber and WilliamWiggleSpeare for commenting on the previous chapter! I appreciate your support.

The day after the reopening of Limbo, Bill took to taking care of his main business, a company he called ‘Mindscape’. They did all sorts of things from managing hotels to grooming young businessmen and women. All as a guise for the criminal empire beneath.

Bill’s polished leather shoes clacked on the just as polished floor. He was done for the day. His friends would be waiting for him with drinks and maybe a prototype of one of Sahir’s newest concoctions. Testing out unsafe substances was his personal highlight of the week.

“Bill!”

And his daydreams burst like balloons. Two pairs of shoes hit the ground behind him and Bill didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. The geezer twins.

“Cipher, _what the hell_ did you do with the money!?” Stanley barked, his suit wrinkling with the way he bared his arms.

“What do you mean ‘what did you do’?” Bill continued walking as if nothing was wrong and pressed the button to call the elevator. Maybe they’d leave him alone if he gave them the cold shoulder. “I do lots of things with my money, you’re gonna have to be more specific. Money comes and money goes.” 

“You know exactly what we mean.” Ford, the more slender twin wearing a lab coat, pulled out his tablet. He pointed at a page with a table of numbers and a chart that looked like a landslide as he walked alongside him. “This amount of money doesn’t just disappear!”

He emphasized his point by aggressively tapping the six zeros behind the number.

Bill rolled his eyes, hoping the elevator would arrive soon. “I invested it, brainiac.”

“ _You can’t just invest MILLIONS of dollars without telling us!”_

“Yes I _can_ , you have your proof right here.” Bill flicked his finger at the screen of the tablet. The glass elevator opened with a _pling. Finally._ He entered in hopes Stan and Ford would leave him alone already and pressed the ground floor. He was already late. The glass granted view over the surrounding skyscrapers and a park with a lake which reflected the deep crimson light of the evening sun. “This is _my_ business. I know what I’m doing, have a little more trust.”

Stan snorted, stepping in after Bill. “He finally lost it. ‘ _Trustworthy’_ , yeah right.”

“This may be your business but it’s our job to tell you when you’re being an absolute moron! How am I supposed to keep track of our finances if you keep pulling stunts like this!?” Ford joined, prodding a finger to Bill’s chest. The door closed. “Do you have any idea what this means for us!?”

Bill slapped Ford’s hand away, stroking over his suit. Sure, he hired Ford to do all the boring finance bla-bla and Stan to make sure the casino was running. And yes, they had done a great job of it in the years they worked together. He possibly wouldn’t be here without them. _But_ a little bit of trust really wasn’t much to ask for. “It’s not my fault you two were born without an eye for entrepreneurship. I’m almost sorry.”

“It’s not our fault you were born a dumbass,” Stan whispered under his breath. 

Bill decidedly ignored it, turning to enjoy the view.

“Bill you’re not listening! _WHAT_ did you spend the money on!? And _why!_?” Ford asked.

“I’m planning to build a new hotel. A revolutionary project. It’ll have us swimming in cash once it’s open.” Bill looked at the block directly behind the Mindscape’s skyscraper as the ground slowly came closer. “We will put them right there. Three glass pyramids in a triangle. And get this-” He stopped purely for dramatics and grinned as he pulled out the ace up his sleeve that would make the old geezers fly out of their shoes. “A fourth one will be in the middle. Upside down. Floating. In the air.”

Neither of them said anything. Speechless until Stan broke into laughter. 

Ford smacked his own head, gritting his teeth. “Remind me how YOU became the boss of a multimillion dollar heavy company.”

“Hard work and a ton of luck,” Bill spat. Some blackmail here and there. “Trust me, the floating pyramids are a great investment!”

“They’re _impossible_ to engineer!” Ford protested. “This is never going to work! We had _plans_! You can’t throw them out of the window on a whim!”

“I’m going to revolutionize architecture! It’s the future!” Seriously, what was wrong with them? They were probably too old to recognize his genius. Fragile human brains and all that.

Ford faced Stan, turning away from Bill. “I can’t BELIEVE we agreed to work for this idiot.” 

“Pretty sure that was your decision, brains,” Bill said. He remembered their first encounter pretty well. He played poker at a table with several people, one of them was Stan. Ford came in when people started accusing Stan of cheating, a pretty funny situation given Bill also cheated. They started talking after that.

The elevator door opened, a smooth voice announcing they arrived on the ground floor. It was 8:12PM. His friends were waiting for him. His friends who hopefully didn’t know about any of this or at least wouldn’t confront him about it. Bill stepped out, wanting to leave the twins behind. 

Ford cut off the way to the exit. “How exactly are you planning to get us out of this, Bill!? You know we still have loans!”

Bill laughed. “Easy! The casino just reopened, we’ll swim in cash by the time the week is over. It’s not the end of the world. Wait and see, right Stanley?” 

“I may be the best man to handle a casino but even I can’t work without cash. I’m not so sure about this, Bill.” Stan scratched his chin. “You might’ve fucked us over for real this time.”

Seriously? Not even Stan was with him? Bill’s face turned sour. “Well, you senile old men aren’t the heads of this company because you’d rather sit on your asses and do nothing all day, watching the money trickle in slowly. _I_ take risks and that’s how I got cash in the first place!”

“Bill you got incredibly _lucky!_ This doesn’t mean you can just spend ALL of our money on a fictional dream that digs us even deeper into debt!” Ford yelled.

Ford wanted a fight? Oh, he would get one. “Hah! ALL of our money!? This is laughable, we’ve recovered from worse than this!”

“We didn’t have massive loans to pay! This is not a game! Wake! Up!”

“ _I_ need to wake up? ME of all people?” Bill experienced life on the streets. He experienced having absolutely nothing but the comfort of knowing winter would end and he could finally sleep through a night without being afraid of freezing to death. He went through hell and back and he still stood, loud and proud. What had these two _really_ endured? Fighting over a dumb misunderstanding? They knew _nothing_ about Bill, about business or about money. Nothing at all.

“This isn’t just about _you_ anymore! This company is huge! Do you know how many people depend on you!? We know you’ve been through a lot but you might thrust those people into the same situation with your short sighted acting! What about your friends!? Didn’t you promise funds to them? If this doesn’t work out you might never return to the way things were!”

“We still have money, okay!? I’m not a retarted child! Your ‘end of the world’ scenarios are really fucking _annoying_ so get OFF MY ASS about it! Now get out of my way before I make you!”

They both stared at him with wide eyes.

He rushed towards the exit. They would be fine.

Bill’s fists clenched and unclenched in the same rhythm his feet touched the ground. The twins didn’t know anything. Nothing at all. They would be perfectly fine.

**▽▽▽**

It took a bit longer than expected for Bill to arrive at the bar. Traffic was terrible and getting into the black market milieu was like trying to get into a burning building while all the inhabitants were running out. Maybe Diabo got riled up and scared everyone away with his gaze of fury. 

Chatter rang out when he opened the doors. It was music to his ears. People to mess and drink with spread out over a dimly lit room surrounded by shelves upon shelves of booze. 

One of the bartenders ran past Bill, a tray of shots in hand. Bill grabbed one and chugged it, throwing it away to shatter on the ground like he owned the place. He loosened his suit and popped open the first few rows of buttons on his shirt, exposing his well trained chest.

“Over here, sugar tits!” a man in the far corner shouted. He sat with a group of three people. _Bill’s_ people. 

Jimbo, the caramel-skinned man with a crooked nose who just called out, waved at him with a donut in hand. He stood out of the group of savages he sat with merely because he wore neither expensive clothes, nor did he look like he could hurt, let alone murder someone. 

Bill strode over, greeted him with cheek kisses and sat beside him. He smelled sweet, probably came here right from his bakery. “You call me that yet you’re the one wearing your shirt open to the stomach.”

“You don’t even _wear_ a shirt half the time, Mister Himbo,” said Sahir, a short man in a wheelchair who had a third eye tattooed to his forehead. He wore his blonde hair in a long braid which laid on the table next to a suspicious ziploc bag. A skilled demon just like him who had lost his legs to the very thing he loved to the point of creating and perfecting them. Drugs. Luckily he’d gotten accustomed to other methods of transportation like the very wheelchair he sat in.

Sahir was a Cipher as well. Not Bill’s brother or cousin, this wasn’t a blood related family. This was Bill’s association, the Cipher family. A small group of criminals who found each other beneficial enough to trust one another. And also occasionally shared beds on particularly fun nights.

Bill grabbed the hem of his shirt with a grin. That sounded like an invitation to him.

A dark hand grabbed his arm. The grumpy blonde man between Sahir and Bill who wore a suit that rivaled Bill’s own spoke up. “Keep your shirt on for fucks sake.” 

People often mistook Diabo and Bill for one another. They looked similar, almost like brothers, from their light blonde hair to their heterochromatic eyes. The main differences were that Bill was a good few inches taller and didn’t frown all day long. It was a mystery how Diabo managed to look like he hated everyone 24/7. They couldn’t be more different personality wise.

Bill threw an arm around him. “It’s platonic chest admiration, Cinderella. No need to get jealous.” 

Bill could physically sense Diabo’s repulsion to the nickname and that’s what made it so perfect. 

He pushed Bill’s arm off his shoulders. “I am _not_ jealous.” 

“And who am I to stop you from believing that, right?” Bill nudged him playfully but he only got an inaudible grumble in return.

“How did your date go, by the way?” Jimbo leaned onto the table with one arm.

“Date?”

“That chick from the reopening?”

Oh. He may or may not have invited her out to eat and then completely forgot about her because he picked up a more interesting nameless pigeon that night. Lucky for her. Bill shrugged. “You know how it is. Opportunities come and go.”

Jimbo shot him a concerned look which was quickly overtaken by surprise when Sahir slammed his empty glass onto the table.

“I’m ready for another round of alcohol!” he shouted. Sahir called out to the bartender. “Fetch us some drinks and make ‘em strong!”

“A whiskey for me,” added Diabo.

The bartender nodded and went to prepare the drinks.

Diabo turned back to Bill, pushing a loose strand of hair back. “I saw some of Gideon’s lackeys at the reopening, what did they want?”

“I’d rather not talk about it. Stan and Ford already lectured me today.” Bill did not need Diabo yelling at him as well. He had everything under control. “The Gleefuls have been getting all frisky about those damn loans.”

Sahir snarled. “Fuck those guys. ‘Here pay for this and pay for that.’ What do they actually do except steal our money? One day I’m gonna shove these fucking taxes up Gideon’s pink piggy asshole.”

“He’s offering protection. I don’t understand why you guys hate him so much.” Jimbo took one of the drinks the bartender brought, coughing after taking a sip.

“Have you _ever_ seen one of those blue bastards around Limbo or the Mindscape? He’s offering to not have us murdered for a shit ton of money.” Bill wasn’t surprised Jimbo didn’t know. He kept out of their affairs for the most part, sticking to his own _legal_ business. 

Bill took a drink as well, letting the dark blue liquid swirl in his mouth. Tangy, a bit sour, lots of alcohol. He caught sight of a ziploc bag laying on the table right in front of Sahir. “Wait, is that the stuff you’ve been working on?”

“This baby?” Sahir’s face split with a bright grin. He waved the ziploc through the air. A handful of tiny grey crystals rained onto the table. “The side effects include vomiting up your intestines and the slow loss of your skin! You have no idea how great it is to watch those desperate test humans scream in terror when their flesh starts melting off!”

Sounded like an interesting concept for sure except this wasn’t to be a torture device. They were supposed to market and sell it. “Who’s gonna buy that besides demons?” 

“ _I’m_ aiming to make it usable for humans so we can make profit.” Diabo crossed his arms with a sharp look aimed for Sahir.

“We’re making huge leaps in the development!” Sahir puffed his chest out, throwing his braid back.

This was great news. Since Bill owned shares of their company, he’d be getting some nice cash as well. Loan problem solved! Suck it, Stan and Ford! This was almost too easy. “When is the production gonna start rolling?”

“As soon as we’re getting your money in. _Everyone_ gets to join in the fun! They’ll have no choice but to worship!” Sahir smacked the bag, making even more crystals spill out.

“ _Unless_ someone else gets the formula working before us.” Diabo snarled before wiping the substance off the table and into his hand, glaring at Sahir.

And that was the catch. Bill resisted the urge to hit something. He promised them funds if he got shares, but now with that whole loan situation going that wasn’t gonna happen soon.

“You better get the cash ready or we’re gonna have to find ourselves a new sponsor.” Sahir jabbed a finger through the air right at Bill. 

Fuck. No, it was probably just a bluff. They had been having a symbiotic relationship over years. Surely they wouldn’t just go behind his back. But what if they did? It had taken Bill years and many deals to earn even a fraction of Diabo’s trust and he was quite proud of it. However, the recent money issues and therefore lack of money for the two could make that hard earned trust go right up in flames. Sahir was great company and Diabo was way too good a businessman to lose. He’d really dig himself into the mud if he lost them. Bill swallowed.

“I will.” It was just gonna take a while. He had to stay optimistic. “Not planning on letting you guys down.”

They stopped bugging him about it after that. Sahir kept going on about his marketing plans involving scandalous ‘leaked’ nudes to advertise his drug but Bill drifted off into his own head. He couldn’t help but wonder.

If, hypothetically, things really went downhill, would these people still drink with him? Bill had been there before. This town was made up of greed and an unquenchable lust for money, power and fame. But this was why he was here as well. He decided it didn’t matter. Things would turn out okay. Yet somehow his gut didn’t sit right anymore.

As the night progressed, the bar emptied. Diabo got into a fight when some drunk guy made fun of Sahir’s wheelchair and they left. It was only Bill and Jimbo now. Bill wasn’t complaining but he still couldn’t subdue the uneasy feeling in his gut.

“Hey.” Jimbo placed a hand on Bill’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?” 

Of course he took notice. Jimbo had gotten too good at reading him. “Nothing.”

“Bill, I know something wasn’t right with you today. You love boasting about your business and you had several opportunities to do so. Why didn’t you?”

“I’m telling you, it’s nothing!” Bill stood up and Jimbo’s hand slid off his shoulder. There was no point in talking to Jimbo about this. He would be fine. “I’m leaving.”

“I don’t want to trespass on what you don’t want to share.” Jimbo stood as well, following when Bill walked towards the door. “You can’t keep running away from your fears. They will catch up with you.”

What was that supposed to mean!? Bill’s fists clenched. He wasn’t running from anything. He wasn’t afraid. Jimbo must’ve misunderstood something here. 

Bill brushed past Jimbo and left.

**▽▽▽**

Bill took a detour on the way back, speeding through town with music blasting at the highest volume. He decided to call it a day when he almost crashed through the glass storefront of a juwelier.

By the time Bill arrived at his apartment it was well past midnight. The lights set to dim and it smelled faintly of his last meal, salmon croquettes. He threw his fancy jacket onto the ivory clothing rack. This was his home and he would _not_ let himself be victim to his thoughts. 

Bill wandered around the penthouse, past the royal chestnut shoe shelf, into the living room, pursing his lips in pursuit of an activity that would relax him. The huge TV and his fancy italian leather couch smiled at him but right now he didn’t feel like he could enjoy mindless indulgence. 

His gaze wandered past the TV to the glass wall which granted view to the restless lights of the city behind the pool on his terrace. He could use a nice, relaxing bath in the hot tub. He didn’t need other people to chill with.

Within a matter of seconds, Bill's clothes laid on the ground and he was outside, naked. If anyone saw him, they would be having a great time. He didn’t work out for nothing. 

Bill threw himself into the pool and sighed as the hot water enveloped him, making all the tension fade. He closed his eyes.

What would life be without a jacuzzi? Terrible. He never wanted to have to experience that again.

His gut sank. What if it became reality?

No, it wouldn’t happen. He wasn’t stupid. He invested his money well. But the loans would be a problem. The damn loans...

Why did _he_ have to take care of these stupid loans? Why didn’t Stan or Ford do anything? Useless old bastards.

If his business crashed because of the loans he’d have to leave behind the penthouse, maybe even Vegas. Unlikely. Vegas _needed_ him.

Stan and Ford couldn’t be right. They didn’t know what they were talking about. They didn’t grow up in this corrupt shithole of a city. Some kid's loans weren’t gonna kill him.

With an annoyed splash, Bill sat up. He didn’t feel like using the jacuzzi anymore. He needed to do something so he trotted inside and grabbed a towel to dry himself as he entered the kitchen. He hadn’t had anything for dinner besides a couple of chips and chips were not a sufficient meal to upkeep his hard-earned muscle.

A cookbook with a huge, intricately decorated cake on the front caught his eye. Baking was just the activity for him! Avocado brownies sounded delicious.

Bill threw together the ingredients, poured them into a tray and put it into the oven.

Now he just had to wait. For half an hour. Only. 30 minutes.

He looked at the golden clock on his diamond studded fridge. He felt bored looking at it. Not even a spark of excitement. “Hm. This really doesn’t do it anymore, huh? Time for a replacement...”

A feeling crawled up. Bill couldn’t quite place it but it felt… like a blank room. A void. 

Must’ve been the hunger talking.

He pulled out his phone to look for incredibly expensive fridges. 

But what was the point? He wouldn't be able to afford any right now. His debts wouldn’t allow it. In fact, he might end up selling his fridge instead of getting a new one. 

What if he had to move and his new apartment didn’t even have an oven to bake brownies with? 

Bill frowned. Fuck the waiting.

He opened the oven and yanked out the tray. He could handle raw dough. He didn’t need it baked if he could just eat it right now. And so he popped a spoon into the dough and then into his mouth. Hot chocolate overwhelmed his taste buds. This was fine. This was _perfect._ He shoveled one spoon after the other, drowning himself in the chocolate until his spoon scraped at the tray. 

“Already empty? Ugh.” He still didn’t feel better.

Emptiness. That’s what he felt.

No. That couldn’t be right. He wasn’t empty. He had no reason to be. He _owned_ a multimillion company. He lived in a fucking penthouse that held valuables worth more money than most people would ever see in their entire lifetime. He was the _embodiment_ of success. 

So why did he still feel like something was missing? What else could he need? What could he possibly want? Another car? He could buy one right now. He could call a salesman and get a meeting with Porsche or TESLA or any other big name and buy a car in the middle of the damn night.

Wasn’t the point of being rich to have everything you needed? Why did he still feel empty? 

Maybe he was just too sober. That’s it. That’s why. The couple of cocktail glasses from the bar did nothing to him. His demonic body cleansed it right out way too fast. Good thing he had a couple of different options. 

He took a bottle of 800$ whiskey from the shelf, screwing it open and pouring himself a glass. He took a sip. 

Good whiskey wasn’t something poor people could afford. 

The glass was empty but he couldn’t be bothered to refill it. So he took the whole bottle and drank. 

His thoughts kept prodding. He felt the future creep up on him. A dark abyss that held things he wasn’t so sure he wanted to know anymore.

He went to drink again but there was no more. The bottle was empty. “Fucking hell.” The only thing he envied normal humans for was the ability to actually get drunk without drinking bottle after bottle after bottle. This wouldn’t do.

One of the closets in the living room had been devoted entirely to drugs. It was his favorite one in the entire apartment. 

Bill dug around for one of Sahir’s concoctions. It was also packed in a ziploc and smelled metallic. This was one of the earlier prototypes of the drug Sahir showed at the bar. It had been too strong, less than a gram of it in the system of a human was lethal so this batch got split up between the group of demons. 

Without hesitation, Bill downed a good handful of the stuff. It burned like hell and stuck to his throat. He coughed, grabbing a bottle of absinthe from the higher shelves to wash it down with. Had Sahir said it shouldn’t be consumed with alcohol? Who cared.

Bill almost made it to the couch before his legs gave out. He smacked to the ground but he didn’t feel the pain. His whole body tingled, numb. Peaceful. 

The lights of the city went out with him.

**▽▽▽**

The day afterwards was a very painful one. It started off by Bill vomiting his guts out. He wasn’t sure if it were his actual guts but with how much it hurt, he didn’t doubt it. His head throbbed, he could barely talk at all and every limb felt like it might fall off any second. That being said, the day hadn’t been eventful. He laid in bed and slept for most of it. Even his demonic blood couldn’t cleanse that fucking coke straight from hell out of his system. He sent Sahir a very upset message but he only responded with a series of laughing emojis.

On the second day, Bill still felt terrible. He couldn’t take being alone with his thoughts anymore so he invited Gideon Gleeful over to Limbo to have a talk. Well, mostly to wring some cash out of him. Of course, the kid was ‘too busy’ to attend himself so Bill expected some of his lackeys. Even better, they could hopefully play well.

Bill was delighted to find that, amongst an unfamiliar woman, Gleeful had sent his dad, Bud Gleeful, as well as the tall man from last time. He started trembling the instant he laid eyes on Bill. Being feared felt great. 

Bud went to greet Bill, hand reaching out. “Bill! It is such a pleasure to be invited!” 

“Technically I didn’t invite _you_ but good enough.” Truth be told, he couldn’t care less about that guy.

Bud’s expression instantly fell, outstretched hand to dropping to the side. Amusing. “You should feel honored, I don’t just come out to play with anyone.”

“I’ll feel honored when you beat me so good luck.” Bill’s gaze flicked to the tall man. “Tom, was it? How are your coworkers doing? Gideon must’ve found it quite _shocking_ to have them returned unconscious?” Bill almost laughed at his pun. “I do hope none _died._ Would be too bad.”

Tom said nothing but his breath hitched. He looked at his shoes. 

To Bill’s distaste, Bud was more talkative. They settled at one of the fancier tables right underneath the big chandelier in the middle of the hall and agreed to a game of Mau Mau. It was similar to UNO except that it used a standard french or german deck of cards. Bill liked it a lot because it was deceptively simple. A children’s game only influenced by Fortuna herself. Except that was not the case.

Bill was a master of this game. He played it ever since he was a little boy. To beat him at it was pure luck. But he couldn't go in from round one and win again and again, Bud would get frustrated and withhold his valuable money. So Bill started with low bets which he lost on purpose. With each round, he raised them until Bud gained more confidence. Little by little until he could take off the leash and start playing for real. Time to make some tasty cash.

Bill won. And he won again. He even let Bud play down his hand to the last card while he himself held eight, only to obliterate him in a single move of skipping his turn. “Queen of Clubs. Spades. Diamonds. Hearts. Ace of Hearts. Spades. Diamonds. Aaaand Clubs. Mau Mau, Gleeful.” The expression of his opponents was always the greatest part when he played down his whole hand. Incredibly satisfying. _This_ was how he had earned his job. Skill.

“What!? That’s not fair!”

“Yeah it is. I got lucky, what can I say.” Bill held back snarky replies while he dragged the pile of coins over to his side. His head throbbed like hell but he had money to make and pissing off his customers was not the way to do it. “You win some, you lose some.”

Bud mumbled something inaudible just as the entrance opened. 

Normally, Bill would not give a damn who walked in. If they were willing to spend money, so be it, but this bird was different.

He was short, his brown curly undercut complimenting the fair skin. He wore a simple shirt and short pants. Certainly not rich but very determined. 

“Excuse me, are you Mister Cipher?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may have noticed this fic is a bit Bill heavy. If not, I'm pointing it out right here. There's so many fics that revolve around Dipper and I wanted to do something a bit different with this fic. That being said, there is still a lot of Dipper POV, the next chapter for example.
> 
> Writing Bill was a lot easier for me than writing Dipper, partially because the Dipper this is about is based on @Ginger_Bimber 's Dipper and this Bill is pretty much half of me. I have art of him on my social media accounts if you're curious.
> 
> Fun Fact: All the other Ciphers are actually my friend's Bills. There's one more who hasn't been introduced yet- Well, two if you're counting my other Bill.


	3. Donuts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to thedogzoo, Ginger_Bimber, PicyKitty, Y0UAreAwesome, yerianais and DeathLie for commenting on Chapter 2! Your support is appreciated.

“Mason! Will you be a sweetheart and feed the dogs? Thank you!”

“Yes, ma’m.” Dipper grabbed the plate of food he prepared and made his way through the reception of the animal shelter all the way to the room where they kept the dogs.

His shift ended an hour ago but his replacement hadn’t arrived yet. The other employees already went home for the day except for him and his boss. Someone had to feed the animals, Dipper didn’t want them to starve. Normally, overtime wouldn’t be an issue. He did it all the time. The problem was Dipper promised a friend to help him out after work. Hopefully he wouldn’t be too upset.

Dipper worked at the animal shelter pretty much ever since he moved to New Vegas, Oregon and he couldn’t imagine what the place must’ve been like without him. Four people worked here, yet he felt like he was the only one actually doing all the work. Sure, Candy and Grenda were nice but whenever it came to cleaning anything they always made him do it. And how could he say no? If they wouldn’t do it, then he had to. Not that it was that big of a deal anyways.

Dipper smiled when Chewie, a corgi with the cutest little feet, yapped at him in excitement. “You’re a hungry little fellow, aren’t you?” 

Chewie barked, wagging his tail. 

Money wasn’t the reason he worked here. Dipper genuinely wanted to help. Dipper wanted to make sure these sweet, innocent souls were taken care of. He felt for them like they were family. They were there for him when nobody else was. They never failed to make him smile and so he did his best to help them as much as they helped him. 

Dipper fed the dogs, making sure they all got the food mix they needed and didn’t steal from each other. He walked back to the reception to find that Candy finally arrived. He glanced at the clock. Four after 6PM. He had to hurry.

“I’m so sorry, Ma’m.” Candy put down her purse. “I was having lunch with my family and then it was already so late.”

“Ah, it’s alright. I wish my kids would have lunch with me.”

“Um… I actually have to leave. I have somewhere to be,” Dipper threw in. He packed up his stuff, hoping his boss wouldn’t mind. 

“Also got family to eat with?” the older woman asked.

Dipper zipped up his backpack. 

Realization spilled over his bosses face. “Oh, right. I’m sorry. Yeah, of course you can leave.”

“It’s fine.” Dipper pushed open the door, taking a deep breath of air. It was hot, the sky completely blue.

Family. What was it like?

Dipper lived in an orphanage in California until he turned 18. He never had any family. Yes, family wasn’t just dependent on blood but Dipper never truly belonged. Something had always been missing. The closest Dipper got to anyone at all was his boyfriend.  _ Ex  _ boyfriend. 

Dipper made many attempts at finding his family. He found no records of who brought him to the orphanage. The only thing he was certain of was that he had a sibling. The caretakers told him over and over again that it made no sense for his parents to give away one of two siblings. That it rarely ever happened. But Dipper remembered. Dipper knew. He felt in his heart that he had a sibling and somehow they had been separated. Why? And who were they? He had asked those questions many times. He never got an answer. 

Dipper cursed himself as he glanced at his phone. Time really wasn’t with him today. He should’ve taken the shortest way home since he was already running late. The blazing sun didn’t help either, he’d have to take a shower as well, meaning he’d arrive even later. The way he chose today, as he did on many other days, was through the dog park. It was nice to get his mind off of wandering too far and pet some cute dogs on the way to his apartment. Or rather Aeon’s apartment.

Speaking of, Dipper hoped Aeon wouldn’t be home. He swallowed hard, his throat clogging up. The memories of them reading and laughing together once made him feel warm and happy. Now they made him hurt. Those times were over.

Before Dipper knew it, he stood in front of the rustic brick building covered in ivy.

The door to his apartment clicked open. His gaze snapped to the kitchen and oh man was it messy. The groceries and dishes from this morning sat on the kitchen island, some bags on the floor. It all needed to be sorted in but he had no time. 

“How was work?” asked a familiar voice.

Dipper huffed. Aeon sat on the opposite side of their tiny apartment on the living room couch, his muddy hair hanging over his eyes. His bony hand petted their golden retriever Per who rested on his lap. Dipper encouraged him to get a service dog when he went blind and they’d both grown very attached to her. She looked at him with her big puppy eyes, demanding cuddles, but his desire to avoid Aeon was too big right now. His heart hurt. Dipper couldn’t look him in the eye even though he knew Aeon couldn’t see.

“Exhausting...” Dipper rushed to his room and shut the door behind him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Roses, chamomile and lavender. Ugh, he also needed to water his plants. Having a green room was nice but not when you had things to do. He was being counted on and what did Dipper do? Come two hours too late. He just needed to shower, change his clothes and grab his phone. He could water the plants later. Dipper threw open the closet, pulled out some clothes and made his way to the bathroom.

“Where are you planning to go?” Aeon asked from the living room.

Dipper sighed. Could Aeon not leave him alone for one hecking second? 

“Seeing a friend.” He locked the bathroom door and threw his clothes onto the shelf next to the sink, then stepped into the shower. 

The hot water did wonders to his sores. It felt like all of his aches washed away. There was no time to waste, though. He would already be incredibly late, he needed to hurry. What was the point of relaxation when a friend needed your help?

After the shower and a change of clothes, Dipper grabbed his phone from the kitchen island and went to leave. 

Except Aeon walked up to him, placing his hand on his shoulder. “Dipper, I can hear the way your feet drag on the floor and how your breath huffs. You’re exhausted. Are you sure it’s a good idea to do even more work?”

Dipper rolled his eyes. “Yes, I  _ am _ sure it’s a good idea. I’d rather do this than laze around on the couch all day.”

“You know Jimbo would understand if you told him you were tired and had a stressful day. Sit down and read with me. For old times sake.”

“ _ You _ want  _ me _ to sit down with you to read? For  _ old times sake _ ?” Dipper wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or cry. His chest ached. “ _ You _ were the one who broke up with me. You  _ ended _ the old times yourself!”

What did he do wrong? What did he  _ ever  _ do to deserve this? He tried his hardest to make everyone around him happy. To help where he could. Yet people kept leaving him! Maybe he was destined to be alone, shunned from society because he wasn’t good enough. 

“Dipper, you’re overwor-”

“No. You be quiet for a minute!” Dipper stomped on the ground. He started shaking from anger. The audacity this man had. “I am  _ not  _ going to read a book for you while Jimbo, a friend who actually  _ wants me around,  _ needs my help! Period!”

Aeon frowned, taking his hand off his shoulder.

It stung. Dipper bit his lip.  _ I’m sorry,  _ Dipper wanted to say. But he felt what he said. It hurt but it was true. He stood behind it. And so he left.

**▽▽▽**

Jimbo greeted him with open doors, ushering him inside the bright yellow donut shop.

Dipper couldn’t help but smile every time he saw the awful donut stickers all over the walls. It was unusual seeing the store empty. Normally it was packed with customers but obviously you couldn’t sell donuts when half of your equipment was fried. The stoves and surrounding tiles were almost completely black. Jimbo was lucky the whole store hadn’t burnt down.

“You can clean the stove while I put the fridge back in place.” Jimbo went past the donut display to the back room, voice muffling as he rounded the corner. “Oh, that’s one heavy boy.”

“Alright!” Dipper walked behind the counter and squinted at the machinery. They all looked charred, covered in ash and sut. This would take a bit. He squirted soap onto the sponge that laid within reach and rubbed at the stove. “How  _ did _ the shop catch on fire in the first place? Some malfunction?”

Dipper wasn’t entirely sure what qualifications Jimbo had to own a shop like this. He honestly loved the guy with all of his heart but this was the third?  _ Fourth _ time Jimbo set the place on fire since they had known each other for around a year or so. To be fair, he was doing well enough to have a full shop most of the time. He was a true people magnet.

Jimbo laughed. “No, that was entirely my fault. I underestimated my abilities- I turned my back to a batch of donuts in the making for too long. Talked to a customer. Didn’t pay attention and then noticed when my pants were already on fire.”

“What!? Your pants!?” Dipper stopped scrubbing to look at Jimbo. “But you’re fine, right?”

“Yeah, no injuries or anything! Don’t you worry about me, munchkin. I’m only upset because I had to throw out all the donuts that did survive because the smoke made them inedible.” Jimbo disappeared to the back.

Dipper shook his head, smiling. This man would run himself into the grave.

The stove looked almost as good as new and Dipper decided to call it done. He stretched his strained arms. “Okay, the stove is done.” He waited for a reply but only heard grunting and groaning from the back. “Jimbo?”

“I’m just- trying to- move the fridge-” 

Dipper went into the back room to find Jimbo pushing his whole body against a red fridge that looked like it would crush both of them if it toppled over. “How did you even get that thing out in the first place?”

“A friend- helped me- carry it-”

“ _ Carry it? _ ”

“He's a big buff.”

Well dang. Dipper would like knowing someone  _ that _ strong. He doubted they would be able to move that monster alone. “I can try to help you push it. We could probably go over and ask Tad to help.”

Jimbo snorted. “I’m not letting  _ him _ in here.”

“Why? I know you don’t like him but did he ever actually, you know, do anything?”

“Let’s see…” Jimbo squinted. “He greets me every day, he waves at me when we make eye contact and he always asks to hang out after work. So I concluded that he’s definitely trying to steal my donut formula.”

Dipper laughed. “Sounds more like he’s trying to date you.”

“But- His name is literally Strange! Is that  _ not _ suspicious to you?”

Dipper shook his head in amusement. 

With combined efforts, Jimbo and Dipper fought against the weight of the fridge. They ended up having to remove everything from the inside and even then it took them the better part of an hour to get it back into place.

“There.” Jimbo panted, leaning onto the counter. “As good as- new.”

Dipper didn’t even have the energy to open his mouth, let alone to talk, so he nodded. Everything hurt. He felt like collapsing on the spot.

“Are you alright?” Jimbo watched him, concerned.

“Hm?” Dipper’s legs trembled. He would work for another hour if Jimbo needed him to. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? Dipper, you don’t need to exert yourself for me.”

“No, it’s fine.” He put a hand on Jimbo’s shoulder, smiling to support his statement. The man instantly relaxed. Huh. Jimbo usually didn’t back off that easily.

“Either way, it’s time for you to go home.” 

“What? Already?”

“Dipper, it’s dark outside.”

Dipper looked out. The streets were hulled in darkness besides the street lights. It totally didn’t feel like he spent hours here. “Oh.”

Jimbo started digging around in one of the shelves. “How much do you want?”

Dipper blinked. “What?”

Jimbo chuckled. “Promise me to go to bed as soon as you get home. You helped me so much today, I wanna pay you.” He pulled out a wallet.

Dipper shook his head vigorously, pushing the wallet away. He didn't want to be paid for this. The thought of Jimbo thinking that made him uncomfortable. “N-no! I don’t need money from you! I’m happy to help out!” 

“Hm. Alright, but the next time you come I’ll make sure to drown you in donuts.”

_ That _ was an offer Dipper wouldn’t refuse. He would die for sweets. Seriously. “Okay, fair.”

“Take care, munchkin.”

“Good night!”

Dipper checked for his phone and keys before pushing open the glass door. The mild evening wind hit him and suddenly he felt like he could fall asleep on the spot. He could already feel the warmth of his bed. Closing his eyes and cuddling into the sheets. He couldn’t wait to get home.

**▽▽▽**

It was well past midnight when Dipper arrived. 

He turned on the lights and groaned. The groceries laid on the ground, dishes on the table and crumbs on the floor as if they wanted to taunt him. Why did he not clean up today? Or rather yesterday? Right, because work got in the way. Well, it might’ve been the middle of the night but Dipper could not go to bed knowing that this apartment was an absolute mess.

Dipper started out easy. Watering the many plants that made his room and some of the apartment seem more like a greenhouse. Then he went to tidy the living room and kitchen, trying to be as silent as possible. Even if he wasn’t on the best grounds with Aeon right now, he was still above sabotaging his sleep. 

It was 3AM when his limbs gave out and he fell asleep in the middle of the kitchen. Sleep didn’t fulfill its promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you ready for Dipper and Bill to meet? Because they will in the next chapter.
> 
> I was planning to update earlier but Corona decided to say hi to a classmate and now my plans for the next couple of weeks changed. On the plus side tho, I will have more time to edit chapters since I don't have classes for a week.


	4. Elysium

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to thedogzoo, PicyKitty, yerianais and DeathLie for commenting on the previous Chapter! You guys keep me going.

_Warm. His skin felt warm from the sun. Eyes blinded as he opened them._

_“Mason! Dipper!” A tiny voice called out in excitement._

_He rubbed at his eyes and sat up. Next to his bed stood his sibling. They had the same brown curls as him and wore bright orange pyjamas. “Don’t you want to come see mom and dad?”_

_“Mom and dad?” Dipper, confused. He had never seen his parents before. They must’ve been very busy people._

_“Yes! Come with me!” His sibling tugged on his wrist and he didn’t have to think twice about following them. He did his best to keep up but his legs felt too heavy. They let him go and started running._

_“Wait! Mab-” He stumbled and fell just as his sibling stepped out of the door, into the light. They smiled as two adults came to take their small hands. He couldn’t see their faces, he feared to go blind if he tried to see. “Wait for me!”_

_They didn’t. The door fell shut. The room went dark._

_“No! NO!”_

_He was alone. Surrounded only by darkness._

“No!” Dipper shot up from his bed, tears blurred his vision as cold sweat ran down his back. His sibling's face!

Dipper threw off the bed sheets and scrambled to his desk, cursing as he tripped over a potted plant, grabbing the nearest pencil and scribbling on the back of a document he had laying around. He sketched their round face, brown eyes and curls. It didn’t exactly turn out perfect and he didn’t nearly draw enough but maybe this would help him keep his siblings face in his head.

Wait, what time was it?

He checked his phone. 9AM. Aeon was at work. It looked like Dipper received a voice message from him earlier. His finger hovered over the play button for a second before he actually pressed down.

_“Good morning, Dipper. Per-”_ His service dog barked. _“-found you passed out on the kitchen floor again. I couldn’t get you to wake up so I put you back in bed.”_ Shuffling. _“Please take better care of yourself.”_

Dipper bit his lip, feeling a bit ashamed. It was kind of sweet of Aeon to care even though Dipper yelled at him yesterday. On the other hand it would’ve been weird to just have left him laying on the kitchen floor. He sent him a half assed ‘thank u’ before he could overthink hitting the send button and rubbed over his eyes. Why couldn’t things just go back to how they had been? 

They were so close and now…? Anyways, there was no point to marinade in the past.

The rest of the morning didn’t get any better. Dipper tried keeping the dream out of his mind. He had it so many times up to this point that there was no reason to keep stressing about it. He thought about it to the point there wasn’t anything new to think about.

Maybe he would be happier if he found them. His family. Or maybe he wouldn’t be happier. But something within him itched. He needed to ask. He needed to know _why_. Why did they not want him? And where was his sibling? He tried to find them for years with no luck so what was the point in trying anymore? Yet he couldn’t stay dormant and not look for them. 

But he tried everything already. His search brought him to Vegas but not any further. He visited every orphanage and went through countless documents to the point that he would dream about being buried under piles upon piles of adoption papers.

Maybe Jimbo had an idea. He probably needed help with all the work they didn’t finish yesterday.

**▽▽▽**

Ten minutes and a walk later, Dipper stood in front of the donut shop once more. He opened the glass door, the bright chime of a bell greeting him. A couple of people sat spread out over the room, chatting in a pleasant tone while Jimbo talked to a customer. 

Dipper stood in line after her and waited semi-patiently. He heard the words ‘baker’ and ‘suspicious’ before he opened his mouth, peeking past the woman in front of him. “Jimbo, is this about Tad again?”

Jimbo practically jumped. “Tidbit! How are you? Did you get enough sleep?” 

“I-”

Jimbo leaned over the counter and grabbed his head, squeezing his cheeks as he stared into his eyes. “Oh, you _definitely_ did not get enough sleep. Why are you here so early?”

“Ouch!” Dipper slid out of Jimbo’s grip. He sighed and looked to the ground. “Sorry, I don’t want to worry you but I… actually came here for advice. And to help you if you need anything, of course!”

“Oh! Advice you say?” He hooked his arm around Dipper’s, dragging him past the counter to the back. “Make yourself comfortable.” Jimbo pointed at a bright yellow couch before rushing out again. 

Was this a good idea? It wasn’t like his life was ending or anything. He was just… struggling. In hindsight, he didn’t want to burden his friend with his own problems. Dipper occasionally shared little scraps with him but never the full picture. 

The man came back, a whole XL donut box and a cup in hand. It smelled like hot chocolate. Exactly what he needed right now. “Don’t you worry, small fry, Jimbo has got’chu.” He settled next to Dipper. 

Dipper scratched his arm. “You don’t have to make such a big fuss about me...”

“I don’t have to, I want to.” Jimbo gave him the hot chocolate.

Dipper smiled as the warmth of the cup seeped into his fingers. “Thank you.” 

“Go on, darling. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“So… um…” Dipper told Jimbo. He didn’t mean to start ranting but once he began, he couldn’t stop. He talked about he had to stay at work for way longer to cover for his coworkers. About how he didn’t know what to do with Aeon. And about his insecurities about his missing family. Not that Jimbo was completely in the dark about those things. By the time he was done, he could barely make out the cup of hot chocolate in his hand with how blurry his vision got. He wiped at his eyes. “Sorry… that was a lot.”

Jimbo hummed, rubbing his back. “It really was.”

“I didn’t mean to dump all of that on your shoulders...”

“No seriously, it’s fine.” Jimbo paused. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but you should take more time for yourself. Don’t work overtime every day. Don’t help me out if you’re already exhausted. You need to sit down and relax.”

Really? That was it? Sit down and relax? What was he supposed to do with that information? 

His disappointment must’ve shown. Jimbo huffed. “Dipper, listen to your body. You can’t help anyone if you injure yourself or worse.”

But how could he be of any use if he couldn’t help anyone? What was the point of leaning back? Dipper didn’t have time to care for himself when other people needed him. “I’ll consider it I guess...”

Someone in the front of the shop called for staff. 

“Oh right, I have a shop to run.” Jimbo stood up. “Sorry to cut this short but if you have anything else, we can talk about it outside of my shift.”

“Yes, thanks again.” Dipper stood up as well. He gave Jimbo a hug for goodbyes, stopping when he felt how hot Jimbo was. Did he catch a fever? “Wow, you feel like you’re burning! Are you okay?”

“Uh-” Jimbo promptly retreated, stuffing a donut into Dipper’s mouth and a box into his arms. “Yeah! Here, on the house!”

Dipper blinked, wide eyed. “I can pay-”

Before he could even think about his wallet, Jimbo had already vanished. That was weird. Even for him.

**▽▽▽**

Dipper came back home and put the box of donuts onto the kitchen counter. He couldn’t resist the temptation and took out one of them to devour right away. He may not have gotten the advice he wanted to hear but at least he had tasty pastries to eat.

He went into his room to process, wanting to throw himself into bed and not come out for an entire year but he stopped when his eyes fell onto a package, laying on his bed. 

What? Why would there be a package? And why on his bed? He hadn’t ordered anything and even if… Aeon was at work. The only other person who had a key was Aeon’s mom. Why would she put a packet on his bed? 

He sat down, pulling it into his lap. This wasn’t your typical cardboard box either, no. This was a box made from wood. Little nicks and marks riddled the surface and a name was engraved into the top.

_Shermie Pines._

_Pines._

His heartbeat picked up. Was that his dad? Dipper chewed on his lip, letting his hand glide over the wood. No way. There was no way.

He opened the lid carefully, met by the smell or parchment. The inside held a bunch of letters, addressed to his name. Was he dreaming? Dipper pinched his arm. 

“Ouch-” Nope. He was awake. He couldn’t help the smile growing on his face. Excitement threatened to drown him. How could this be real?

Dipper grabbed one of the letters, cutting it open. He frowned when he read what it said. “Inheritance? Bank account? What is this?”

He opened letter after letter. The word ‘inheritance’ popped up more than once. It seemed like Shermie Pines was a relative who had passed away.

The first thing he heard about his family was that someone had passed away? No. This must’ve been a joke. But his suspicions were confirmed when he found a letter on Shermie’s funeral.

The next letter really took the cake though. A bitter laugh left him. Yeah, this was a scam for sure. There was no way he had just inherited _a couple_ _hundred thousand_ dollars. 

Dipper would just throw them away and-

A wax sealed letter caught his eye. Whoever was trying to prank him put a lot of effort into this. He unfolded it, running his fingers over the pristine handwriting. 

_‘Dear Mason,_

_I’m sure you are quite confused as to what this box is and who I am. Sadly, us two will never have an eye to eye since you reading this means I have already passed. It also means your guardian angel has done his job well and our plan worked._

_Please don’t be mad that you never met us. Your father and your mother. Your sibling. Or me, your grandfather. It was necessary to keep you safe._

_With this letter, you inherit my bank account and all of the money I have accumulated. But this is not all. You also receive my shares in a company, Elysium. There is a safe in the building where I have stored something for you. It might help you to find your other relatives and explain why all of this was necessary._

_I hope you are doing well._

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Shermie Pines’_

Dipper frowned at the letter. This _had_ to be a joke. This was not real. It couldn't be.

But what if it was? 

No. No way. He would google it and find out that someone took great pleasure in pranking unsuspecting orphans with inheritage.

Dipper sat down at his laptop and furiously typed ‘ _Elysium New Vegas Scam_ ’ into the search bar. The first thing that popped up was a Wikipedia article about a casino. See? A scam for sure. The owner was probably some sadistic rich jerk who loved stepping on those below him.

But he wasn’t done just yet. After some scrolling, an article from a month ago caught his eye. ‘The tragedy of local art museum _Elysium_ ’. He skimmed the text. 

“Shermie Pines, the former owner of the museum for angelic art called _Elysium_ , has been diagnosed with cancer a few years back. He had to sell his company in order to settle and fight the terminal sickness. Only recently have we been told that mister Pines is now on his deathbed. We wish him the best of luck.” 

Did this mean… it wasn’t a joke? But why would Shermie send him this after his death? Had he not wanted to meet him himself?

Dipper shook his head. He needed to figure this out.

More research revealed that the museum was turned into a casino by the name of _Limbo_. How ironic. A shame though. Why would anyone destroy a collection of art and instead make it a place to steal money in legal ways? He would never understand casinos.

The site also displayed a picture of a man called “Bill Cipher”, the new owner of the place. Handsome but cocky described his look best. Definitely fit the sadistic rich jerk category with his hair partially gelled back, toothy grin and what he assumed to be an incredibly expensive suit. Bargaining with that guy could be fun... Dipper would consider himself lucky if he got anything out of him. For a guy like that it was suspicious he didn’t seem to be involved in any drama. A couple more searches confirmed that he seemed to be perfectly clean. Dipper’s gut told him otherwise.

He closed his laptop, his head swimming with thoughts. What to do?

Dipper allegedly owned part of this company and needed to find a safe that was possibly not even there anymore to find his family? Assuming that this wasn’t some elaborate hoax. 

The fastest way to find out if someone was pulling his legs was to just talk to that Cipher guy. A visit to the casino couldn’t do any harm, could it?

**▽▽▽**

Without wasting any time, Dipper made his way to the casino, certificate of his ownership in hand. His jaw dropped when he arrived there. This wasn’t some random casino. The exterior looked almost like a european palace except that parts of it were cut into by pristine modern architecture. A symphony of new and old. How much time this building must’ve taken to plan and build. He didn’t even want to think about the costs. It looked brand new as well. Was this really the building?

The huge letters above the front entrance made it clear. He was at the correct address. _Limbo._

Dipper rubbed his arm. Hopefully there wouldn’t be too many people inside. Usually gambling was an evening activity, right?

He slipped through the huge entrance into the foyer. Black marble seemed to be the new owners thing, huh? Gold embellished columns and lavish archways carried the weight of the building. This architecture was unlike anything he’d ever seen. What kind of people spent their money here? Millionaires? Billionaires even?

“Can I help you, young man?” A girl that looked about Dipper’s age stood behind the reception. Her chestnut hair pulled back into a braid and she had doe eyes that reminded him of himself. Her outfit looked like a fancier version of a stewardess’ outfit. Nobody would question her if she went to a business meeting like this.

“Um, yeah. I was actually looking to speak to the owner. Is that possible?” Dipper walked towards the counter.

“He’s playing right now, I’m afraid I can’t just let you in without an appointment.”

“Please? It’s urgent.” Dipper leaned onto the counter.

“I’m sorry but no. I can’t let you-”

Dipper grabbed her hand. “ _Please?_ I know you don’t know me and I can’t prove this to you but he might be able to help me find my family.”

She blinked at him, conflicted. Her gaze softened. “I… I guess if it’s that important, I can let you in. Up the stairs, he’s in the main hall. Don’t tell him though.”

“Got it. Thank you!” Dipper gave her the biggest smile before he rushed past her, up the flight of stairs and into the hall. He turned his head left and right to scan the room. Some people sat by the coin slots. A couple hanging around the bar and- people in light blue suits stood around a table of two men playing cards. The dark skinned one dressed in yellow grinned as the other shouted. He looked just like the pictures. Rich jerk.

Dipper took a deep breath before working up the courage to walk up to them. “Excuse me, are you Mister Cipher?”

The guy in yellow who pulled up his brows. A scar ran through one of them and his eyes shimmered in two colors, golden and cerulean. Sharp, black nails tapped on the table.

“The one and only. And who are you? You don’t exactly, you know-” Cipher motioned towards all of Dipper before laying cards down. “-look like you belong here.”

A douchebag like he expected. He would show him who he was.

“My name is Mason and I’m here because I happen to have shares in this place.” He said with a smile so sweet it could kill as he pulled out the document. He didn’t want this guy to tease him for his nickname, that happened often enough. He also clearly didn’t belong to the group of people Dipper wanted to have his nickname used with.

Cipher cackled and turned to the other man who looked to be very invested in this game. “You hear this kid, Bud? He’s what? Twelve?” He turned back to Dipper. “You don’t even look like you could afford eating McDonalds once a week.”

Dipper frowned. 

Cipher squinted at him, then leaned back with a satisfied smirk. “You _do_ have a pretty face. Why don’t you come join us now that you’re here anyways.” He pushed his throne-like chair back and motioned towards his lap. His teeth glinted, one of them golden.

“Wha-” Dipper stuttered. Had this guy just turned from insulting to complimenting to harassing him? He recollected himself. “How about I _don’t_ and _you_ take a look at _this.”_ He stretched out his hand, holding the paper in front of the owner’s face. “I own a part of this place and a safe. Where is it?”

Cipher squinted at the paper. No, not at the paper. At him. “You look oddly familiar… Have we had sex before?”

What the-? Dipper turned red, feeling the urge to vomit. “Ugh! No!”

The guy across the table snapped his fingers. “Hey! Your turn, Cipher.” 

“This kid is distracting me.” Bill winked at Dipper, then put down several cards one after another, looking more and more pleased while the other man groaned. 

“Again!?”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m not done _yet._ ”

Dipper watched. This wasn’t how the situation had played out in his head and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. He was being ignored. Not taken seriously. How could he make Cipher listen?

The other guy, Bat? Bert? Threw a couple more coins onto the table. Cipher didn’t look too happy about it.

That’s it! Money! The only issue was, Dipper didn’t have any. Until today!

After a quick detour to one of the employees which got him more than a few weird looks, Dipper came back to the table with a considerable stack of coins. 

Cipher looked confused for about a second before he returned to a broad grin. “Much better! Where did you get the money from, hm? Got a sugar daddy? I make much better pay.”

Dipper was about to protest but he stopped himself and sat down next to Cipher. “Maybe I’ll tell you if you listen.”

The man looked intrigued. “Well, what do you have to say? I’m all ears.”

Dipper stared into his eyes and laid the papers onto the table. “This document states that I own part of this place. Where is the safe?”

Apparently he hadn't been serious enough. Cipher laughed. “Paid someone to forge that? Trust me, I know who the shareholders are and it isn’t _some poor kid._ ”

“I’m not some poor- You know what? Nevermind.” Dipper had one more ace up his sleeves. He smirked triumphantly, looking at his pile of chips. “I can just return all of these.”

“Looks like someone didn’t read the small print,” Cipher sneered. The other guy pulled up a brow but Cipher shushed him. “You can’t return coins you bought. My place, my rules.”

Dammit.

Dipper wasn’t good with money. He barely had any his whole life and now that he was rich—he still couldn’t believe it—he used it to impress some casino owner who probably choked on his daily breakfast of money, money and more money. A good start into the business world. He was planning to donate the rest anyways.

Dipper’s leg bounced up and down. Plan B. Or C. “If you just tell me where that safe is I’ll go grab my belongings and leave! Win win for both of us.”

“You’re interrupting the game, kid. Go to kindergarten and play with the toddlers, at least that’ll be an even match.”

“You’re not taking me seriously!” Dipper slapped a hand on the table, waving the paper in front of Cipher’s face. He was furious. “This clearly states that I have shares!”

Cipher glared at him. He stood up, slamming hand onto the table and tore the paper out of his hands. “This. Is. _Enough!_ ”

Dipper reached for the paper but he was too short Cipher way too tall. “Hey! Give that back!”

_“Go to hell_ with your dumb ass fucking paper!” Cipher ripped it to shreds like a worthless piece of trash. Right before Dipper’s eyes. 

No. _No._

“Y-you can’t just-” He scrambled together the scraps but it was too late. Dipper let out a shaky breath. The paper wasn’t worth more than a pile of trash. “That doesn’t change my shares in the casino!”

“You know what, _Mason?”_ Cipher’s eyes glinted like a leopard’s right before the kill. He turned to the other man. “I’m raising my bets. The whole casino.”

Wait... what? Dipper looked from Cipher to Bud, back to CIpher and to Bud again.

Bud seemed to be just as confused as Dipper. “Are… you serious?”

“Dead serious.” Cipher sat back down, folding his legs.

Bud grinned at his cards. “All in.”

Oh no. _Oh nononono._

This idiot of a casino owner was not about to gamble off his only connection to his family. This wasn’t happening. This was some really messed up dream. Maybe a drug trip. Dipper didn’t care, everything was better than this at that point.

Dipper didn’t know this game or any rules but Bud’s cards couldn’t be worse than Cipher’s full hand. If he didn’t do something, he might lose the last and only thread to his family. 

“I’m in.” He pushed the coins into the middle of the table, earning himself a glare from Cipher.

“You can’t just join in the middle of a game!” 

“He bought his way in, even I know that’s fair play in your casino,” Bud threw in with a smirk.

Cipher growled. 

“I’m trying to help you, jerk.” Dipper drew 5 cards. He… didn’t know how to play. His stomach turned. He didn’t even know _what_ they were playing.

Gleeful looked perfectly content. He discarded a seven of hearts. It was Dipper’s turn. 

“Frowning at your hand won’t help either of us. Draw two cards or give me another seven for fucks sake,” Cipher snarled.

Dipper frowned at his cards, desperately searching for a seven. “I don’t have a seven...”

“An eight?”

“...N-no.” This was going great. 

Bud snickered. 

Cipher let out a frustrated sigh. “ _Any_ heart card?”

“Let’s see…” Dipper had a 10 of hearts and a queen of hearts. He bit his lip as he discarded her.

“No! Why did you put a queen!? Now it’s Gleeful’s turn again, you moron!”

“What!? How am I supposed to know that, I don’t even know what we’re playing!”

“Then why did you join!?”

“To save your sorry ass!” Dipper shrieked. Okay, maybe he hadn’t made the best decision. He was a shaking ball of anxiety by now and his teeth finally drew blood.

Their bickering went on for another ten minutes. Cipher kept drawing cards and there was no way he couldn’t actually lay any. Did he want to lose on purpose? Surely he couldn’t be that crazy… right?

In the middle of the game, one of Gleeful’s… guards? Servant guys? Brought him some water, spilling some of it on his suit. He got yelled at and brought him a towel. Something seemed off about it though. Why get a drink in the middle of the game? And why water? He highly doubted that man would prefer water over… _anything_ really. And if he was trying to cheat... Cipher surely would’ve noticed, no?

It didn’t matter though, Dipper put down a card. He was on his last, a joker. The card he could put down no matter what Cipher laid. He was so close. He practically already won. His sweat soaked into the card.

The rotation shifted a couple of times, making Dipper wait. As Dipper had learnt, any queen would swap the direction of the turn order when played. 

It was Bud’s turn, he was down to two cards. He discarded one but it didn’t matter, it would be Dipper’s turn before him.

Now it was in Cipher’s hands. Or claws, rather. He was tense, Dipper could tell by the way his leg kept flexing. It felt like electricity sizzled through the air. Jolting through everyone at the table. Even one of Gleeful’s guards, a tall, dark haired man, looked like he felt it. Brows furrowed, jaw clenching and unclenching.

Just lay the dang card. It didn’t matter anyways. Put. Down. A. Card.

Cipher’s eyes met his. His intense golden and cerulean eyes latched onto his soul. And he smirked.

Not good.

Cipher flicked a card on the table. “Draw two, princess.”

It was a seven. Not even the joker could subvert this fate.

Defeated, he drew two.

Gleeful slapped his last card down. “Mau Mau!”

Dipper’s eyes went wide. No. Wait. _No._

If this wasn’t his loss as well, he would’ve taken pleasure in the way Cipher’s smug expression finally dropped. The reality of the situation seemed to dawn on him as well. But it was too late.

“YOU!” Cipher snarled, throwing his chair behind him. He yanked Dipper up by his shirt. “How DARE you walk in here, distract me with your fake _fucking paper_ and then have the audacity to SABOTAGE the game!”

Dipper grabbed Cipher’s arm. He was so close to the man that he could feel his breath. He wasn’t just gonna take this. 

“ _I_ sabotaged _you!?_ You _knew_ what my last card was, why didn’t you let me win!?”

“You would’ve taken my casino and ran with it!”

“I don’t want your stupid casino! Now we both don’t have anything, asshole!” Hot tears pricked his eyes but he didn’t want to cry. Not here. Not right now. Not in front of this jerk. “You’re going to help me get my safe!”

“YOUR safe!?”

“Yes, MY SAFE-”

“OUT! Both of you!” Gleeful yelled. “Guards.”

Dipper and Cipher looked at each other in, surprisingly, mutual despair before they were escorted outside the back entrance by equally confused guards. The doors slammed shut behind them.

“Well fucking done!” Cipher growled. He stomped towards an incredibly expensive looking car. Before Dipper could even process he got in and drove off.

Dipper stared after him. Had this… really just played out? Before his own two eyes? 

No. He would wake up and everything would be normal. He was certain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is where you realize Bill is a huge himbo. No but seriously. He is such a himbo. How does he even live? It's a mystery.
> 
> Oh btw, if you ever stumble upon the name "Deus" in this fic, please tell me. Deus is the name I gave to this Bill since it gets kind of confusing when all your friends also have Bills. I wrote this fic mostly using Deus instead of Bill so I have to change his name back a lot while editing. Rip.
> 
> I'm trying to stick to two updates per week, however college threw me into big chaos so we'll see how that goes.


	5. Guilt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To everyone reading this: thank you for reading, thank you for the kudos and of course, thank you to thedogzoo, yerianais and xx_hxneybee_xx for commenting! I appreciate the support.

Two days passed since the incident at the casino. One of the first things Dipper did was donating the majority of his inheritance to a variety of organizations. It felt like a weight lifting off his shoulders. That amount of money was not a responsibility Dipper wanted to handle.

It took a lot of time and sleepless nights to process everything that happened, yet it still felt unreal. Dipper even considered having gotten a concussion while helping Jimbo at the donut shop. This whole ordeal might as well be one long dream induced by a fridge falling on his head and then getting knocked into a coma. Sadly, that didn’t turn out to be the case.

Dipper dragged himself out of bed on Saturday morning to make pancakes for breakfast. Pancakes were his comfort food ever since he could cook for himself, so it wasn’t surprising that half of the food he ate after the incident were pancakes. One time he ended up making double the amount out of habit. He used to eat together with Aeon but well...

Since Aeon hadn’t been home for the most part, Dipper could enjoy his peace. He didn’t need anyone else at the table. He was perfectly content. Until the lanky man walked into the kitchen. 

“Pancakes?”

Dipper sighed, rubbing at his irritated eyes. Of course Aeon noticed. Dipper did not want to talk about this. He was way too tired and Aeon probably wouldn’t even believe him. “Yes, pancakes.”

Aeon leaned onto the counter, worry laced his voice. “Did something happen?”

Dipper frowned at the pancake. “Can I not just make pancakes because I felt like it?”

“You can, but you’ve been acting strange lately-” Aeon sniffed once. Twice. “And you never let your pancakes burn.”

Oh crap-

Dipper flipped the now slightly charred pancake, cursing under his breath before channeling his irritation towards Aeon. “So now I’m not allowed to make mistakes now? If you hadn’t distracted me, maybe my breakfast would still be edible.”

“No that’s not what I’m-” Aeon paused. “Dipper, you’ve been like a ticking bomb lately. Just tell me what’s going on. You know I won’t be mad if you found someone else.”

A ticking time bomb?  _ Found someone else? _ All of a sudden Dipper didn’t feel hungry anymore. Anger flared in his gut. 

“ _ I didn’t find someone! _ Things happen, okay!? I haven’t slept well and just wanted to have a peaceful breakfast!” Dipper grabbed his backpack from one of the stools and stuffed the charred pancake into his mouth, holding back a whine when it burnt his tongue. Two seconds later he was out the door despite Aeon’s attempts to stop him. 

At least his boss wouldn’t mind him being early.

**▽▽▽**

Work that day was stressful, not that it was surprising. His boss instantly brought him to clean up after the mess of toys that Candy failed to clean up yesterday. Then she sent him to bathe the cats. 

To be fair, Dipper signed up for it. He did every time because the girls didn’t want to ‘ruin their skin’. He didn’t want to ruin his skin either, but he did it anyways. For the animals. His skin had healed abnormally fast since childhood or at least that’s what everyone, including the doctors, told him. 

Dipper wasn’t too upset about it though. He seemed to be the only employee who would come back with only a couple angry red marks instead of being covered in them like Grenda when she tried bathing the cats for the first time. So naturally, it was his job.

It was when he prepared the food for the birds that he started to think about the casino again. He had been so close to more clues. So close to the safe that held something of importance. And then he messed it up.

That wasn’t even the worst part. He didn’t only mess it up for himself, he contributed to Cipher losing his own casino. Not that he cared for the man but it wasn’t just. Guilt pooled in his stomach, clouding his mind like poisonous gas. What if he was in trouble because of Dipper?

His boss walked in. “Dipper, didn’t I tell you to prepare food for the birds? Why are you mixing the food for the rodents with dog food?”

Dipper flinched and shook his thoughts away. He didn’t even realize how up in his head he was. “I’m so sorry!” His shift was almost over but even so, he was probably going to stay longer again.

His boss sighed. “It’s alright. Is something on your mind?” 

“No”, he lied. “I don’t know what has gotten into me lately. I’ve not been sleeping well.”

“Hmm. Make sure to take care of whatever it is. Seems important.” She patted his shoulder, then walked into her buro.

Dipper knew exactly what ‘it’ was but why should he do anything about it? He could just lean back, it wasn’t like his life was over. Losing something that you didn’t know you had was no real loss. The inheritance gave him the option to stop working but he couldn't imagine staying home all day when he could help out at the shelter. Also, he didn’t exactly leave enough money for himself to last his whole life. Probably not even 5 years.

All of this wasn’t really a problem to him, except the guilt of knowing that to Mister Cipher it was a problem for sure. And maybe the guy knew more about his family. Maybe he knew Shermie. Maybe he would help him find other relatives if Dipper helped him with the casino. 

The front door clicked open. Dipper went to the reception to check who came in and to make sure they didn’t steal anything. Didn’t happen often. Usually it was teenagers being dumb. It wasn’t teenagers he found.

“Jimbo? What are you doing here?” He was the last person Dipper expected. 

“I heard you went to work early and came to save you from overtime!” Jimbo squeezed him in a hug with a broad smile. “You’re coming with me.”

While it was really sweet and made Dipper feel all gooey inside, he didn’t just want to leave like that. After all, who was going to do his work? “But- I can’t just leave! The animals need me!”

“It’s fine, Dipper,” his boss called from the back. “Go with your friend. You need a break!”

“But-”

“No buts!” She yelled.

Well, that settled that. He turned to Jimbo. “Do you need my help at the shop?”

“Actually, no. I’m gonna close up when we get there and then we’ll have it all for ourselves!” Jimbo hooked his arm around Dipper’s and pulled him to the door.

Oh. That sounded good. He was happy that Jimbo had so many customers but the shop being crowded made Dipper almost not want to go there. Of course he would do anything for Jimbo, regardless if the people stressed him out or not. “Well, lets go.”

**▽▽▽**

After a short 7 minute walk, Dipper could see Jimbo’s shop in the distance, squished in between quirky fashion stores, bars and hair stylists. The buildings here had an old european flair to them, though they were only built recently. One of the only nice parts in town.

Dipper shielded his eyes from the sun. He didn’t bring any sunglasses but the walk was short enough for it not to be a bother. Then they stood in front of it. He squinted at the storefront. The sign read ‘open’. “Why didn’t you close up the shop  _ before _ getting me from work?” 

“Oh… That’s a good question.” Jimbo looked like he genuinely hadn't thought of that.

A man with black hair and a tie stood on the opposite side of the street. He waved at them.

Jimbo glared at him. “What is he doing?”

“He’s just being nice!” Dipper smiled and waved back.

“Don’t engage with the enemy, tidbit!” He grabbed Dipper’s arm and tugged him inside the shop. 

Tad yelled something about having watched the shop for him before Jimbo shut the door. He flipped the ‘open’ sign.

The store was completely empty besides the donuts behind the glass counter, but nothing looked out of place. At least nobody had broken in. “Jimbo, did you actually leave the shop  _ unattended _ ?”

He scratched his head. “Um…yeah?”

Dipper sighed in amusement. It was funny how Jimbo worried about Tad trying to imitate his donuts, which Dipper doubted he would attempt since he made bread and only bread, but also leaving the door wide open. “You should be happy Tad is looking out for you.”

“Look, I may not be the brightest BUT I am the most lovable!” Jimbo danced behind the counter, fished out Dipper’s favorite flavor of donut, classic chocolate, and placed it on a plate.

“Can’t disagree with that.” Dipper accepted the sweet offering. Tasty as always. Almost made him forget how tired he was.

Jimbo watched him eat with an intensity that Dipper worried he might have something on his face. 

“What is it?” Dipper patted his cheek.

“I’m worried for you. I heard you’re stressing with Aeon and that you won’t tell him what’s bothering you.”

“Oh.” Dipper felt all of his appetite being sucked out of his body for the second time that day. Obviously Aeon would talk to Jimbo about this.

Jimbo leaned in. “Will you tell me at least? I won’t say anything unless you want me to, promise.”

“I…” He what? What could he tell him? He inherited from a family member he didn’t know and was rich for like a day before donating his money? He got shares to a museum that was now a casino? The owner of the casino gambled it away in a fit of rage? That it was Dipper’s fault? “I don’t know where to start…”

Dipper honestly wanted to share this with Jimbo. He needed the advice. He couldn’t go on every day, being distracted by this.

“Start at the beginning?”

He bit his lip, leg bouncing up and down. “It started after I came home from helping you last week…”

Dipper explained everything to Jimbo. From the mysterious box and the letter’s to the douchebag casino owner and his absolutely dumb behavior to the moment they lost the game. He also added how his work performance dropped because of it and how good sleep seemed unattainable now.

Jimbo stared at him for five seconds. “Wow. That sure is a lot... Again.” 

“Yeah, I know…” Surprisingly, Dipper already felt a bit better. He yawned. “So, what do you think?”

“If it distracts you this much, you should do something about it.” 

“Well, yeah. But what? It’s not like I can just walk back in there and pressure this Gleeful guy into handing the casino back.” This was already getting too exhausting. Dipper rubbed his forehead. “And even then, I doubt Cipher would give me my fair share.”

Jimbo pursed his lips. “Talk to him. He behaves like an ass sometimes but he can be very diplomatic. When he wants to be.”

“I have no way of contacting him beyond the casino and since that doesn’t belong to him anymore…” 

“No problem!” Jimbo smirked and pulled out a tiny piece of paper to scribble an address and a number. “There you go.”

Dipper stared at the number. “Wait. You actually know the guy?”

“I know a lot of people! Bill happens to be an old friend of mine. He helped me out with starting my business and has been my biggest customer ever since.”

That jerk? No way. Him with his huge ego being friends with sweet, pure Jimbo? He couldn’t picture them together. “So, I just… go there? What is this anyways? ‘ _ Mindscape’ _ ?”

“It’s his company. If they don’t let you in tell them I sent you. His buro is on floor 62, you’ll know which one.”

That seemed too easy. “What if he sends me away? I highly doubt he wants to see me after what happened even though it is also his fault.”

“Then you tried at least. I know you won’t stop thinking about it until you talk to him.”

Dipper sighed. He really didn’t want to. But Jimbo was right. This would follow him into his grave. “Are you sure I can just walk in like that?”

Jimbo scooted over a box of donuts. “If not, bribe them with these. Always works,” he added with a wink.

Dipper took the paper. Dea Aveta Avenue 206.

There was no going back now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe we're only on Chapter 5, there's still SO MUCH to go and we haven't even gotten to the juicy parts yet. I did not expect this fic to turn out so long when drafting.
> 
> Just a reminder to everyone who hasn’t seen yet but we have a Billdip Discord Server! Don’t be shy, we don’t bite. Except for some.
> 
> Here’s the link: https://discordapp.com/invite/3zq22U3


	6. Angel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone reading this and leaving kudos! Thanks to thedogzoo, yerianais, Ghosting_Around, PicyKitty, TrueAlphaShipper and DeathLie for commenting! You will forever live on in the notes of this fanfic! Whether you like it or not. Hehe.

Dipper worried he might not be let into the Mindscape since his ‘best outfit’ consisted of a light blue dress shirt and regular jeans. Jimbo was right. The employees saw the donut box and didn’t even ask. They simply nodded Dipper in and showed him the glass elevator. His pulse rose with every floor the elevator passed, the buildings below becoming smaller and smaller. 

What to expect? He didn’t know. This was a very dumb decision. He probably shouldn’t have come here. Dipper rubbed sweat off his hands. He almost had a heart attack when the elevator voice spoke up and the doors popped open. “Floor 62. CEO office.”

He peeked into the hallway. Everything looked so polished. Sharp and modern. Simplistic yet elegant with no plants in sight. It felt cold and he couldn’t imagine working here. He didn’t have to go far to find the office.

The black door in front of him looked heavy. Likely bullet proof. Dipper knocked. And he knocked again.

No answer.

“H-hello? Mister Cipher?” Dipper’s voice trembled as much as his hands when he grabbed the golden doorknob. He didn’t want to interrupt anything. 

Silence.

Alright, he would just open the door and hope he wasn’t there, go home and forget about all of this. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

That’s when the door was ripped out of his hands. Dipper yelped.

“What is it-” Cipher towered over him, brows pulled into a frown. This time his suit was black but it shimmered like oil when light hit it. Dipper wondered if he would catch on fire if he threw him a match.

Cipher’s face lit up. “Oh, it’s you! Mason, was it? Come in, come in!” He motioned for Dipper to enter the room. 

Dipper stared at him for a solid five seconds. Had he not yelled at him the last time they talked?

“You can still check me out in private, I won’t run away.” Cipher grinned.

“Yeah, right.” Just because Cipher looked generally attractive, and yes, Dipper was confident enough to admit that, didn’t mean he was interested in him. In fact, even if Cipher was the most handsome man alive, Dipper would not care about him any more with how douchey he acted.

“You’re still looking,” Cipher said smugly.

Dipper coughed awkwardly, stepping inside. The room had a huge window front with a terrace to the side, a black and golden desk with the newest model of computer and two armchairs. A shiver went up his spine when the door clicked shut behind him and Cipher stalked around him, taking a seat in the more grandiose armchair behind his desk. 

“Why did you come here, sweetheart? To apologize? Sing me a ballad? Attracted to me? Don’t worry, most people are. Have a seat, why don’t you?”

Dipper carefully sat down on the smaller black leather seat, scoffing. He could still back out before it was too late. This meant too much to him though. If Cipher had information on his family, he needed to do this. “I came here to offer my um… help.” 

Cipher grinned.

Dipper realized his mistake before Cipher could make a suggestive remark, so he added, “ _To get the casino back._ Not for whatever you’re thinking.”

“Well, that’s not very exciting. What makes you think I want your help anyways? How could you help me? Hold my cards? Pour me a glass?”

Truth be told, Dipper wasn’t sure _how_ he could help. He could take care of animals and plants, write and draw, but this was out of his area of expertise. “I… don’t know... but I wanna help! I messed this up just as much as you did and I want to make it right.”

Cipher watched him. Dipper felt like he was being taken apart from the seams just by the look in his eyes. “Too bad I don’t care. If that’s all you want, leave. I’ll take care of this myself.”

“I need access to the safe,” Dipper insisted.

Cipher snorted. “To steal my belongings?”

“They’re not _your_ belongings anymore.”

The man went silent and Dipper felt very satisfied for a moment before the guilt rolled in. 

“I… received a couple of letters recently.” Dipper dug around in his backpack and pulled out the papers. He put them on the desk, not letting them go in case Cipher would go loose canon again. He wasn’t going to make the same mistake as last time. “These right here are the only connection I have to my family ...except for the certificate you destroyed.” 

Cipher looked at the paper, then at him, back at the paper and at him again. He whispered under his breath, barely audible to Dipper. “Shermie Pines… Interesting.” 

Dipper lifted an eyebrow. 

Cipher leaned back, crossing his arms. “So what?”

“I don’t know any of my family. I grew up in an orphanage but I know I have a sibling. If I find out what’s in the safe, there’s a chance I can finally find them.”

“Boohoo, so sad! Almost made me shed a tear.” Clearly not with the way Cipher looked down at him.

 _This guy_. This wasn’t something to make fun of. Dipper grabbed the lower part of his armrest, his eyes stung. “How would you feel, being left alone all your life because nobody wanted you?” 

“Fine, actually.”

Dipper laughed bitterly. “Imagine having no parents. Losing them and dreaming about it _every_ damn night until you’re afraid of sleeping at all because you never want to experience that pain again.”

Cipher’s suit glinted like wet oil in the sunlight as he stood up, gaze distant.

Dipper never realized how _tall_ that man was. “Do you get my point now, Mister Ciph-”

“I killed them.”

It took a while for Dipper’s mind to catch up. “You killed-” He held his breath. 

Dipper sat in front of a murderer. And not just anyone. Someone so ruthless he would kill his own family. Someone who wouldn’t hesitate to wipe out a random stranger like him. His heart drummed in his chest, as if suddenly aware of how vulnerable he was.

Cipher grinned, hands concealed behind his back. 

“I-” Dipper stuttered. He didn’t know what to say. What to _think_. He glanced at the door. 

He needed to get out. 

The man took a step towards him and Dipper flinched. Nevermind. He couldn’t do this. He stood up, feeling sick to his core. “E-excuse me.”

Dipper rushed out.

**▽▽▽**

The two days after that little _incident_ at the casino had not been fun at all despite his short trip to LA. Mason ruined Bill’s plans. Painted a big, fat X with the blackest of black markers on everything. His whole life, really. If it wasn’t for that kid, Bill would still own his casino. In fact, he would be a couple million richer with all the money that had been on the table that afternoon. 

But no, Mason was there and tore his business to shreds. Or part of it, at least. Pretty impressive for a toddler.

No matter what Bill did or where he went, that sinking feeling in his gut wouldn’t leave him alone. That darkness. That fear of what was to come without his casino. It grew stronger and stronger. 

Bill was surprised to see Mason show up to his office. Bill put on his usual charm, amused by Mason’s offer. He was even more surprised when it turned out that little brat was Stan and Ford’s great nephew. He might’ve introduced them if he hadn’t scared him away. Or maybe not, he didn’t want to be too nice. It seemed like he would have to take things into his own hands for now.

Bill went on his way to the casino. Hopefully, Bud would be there, his fat ass imprinting itself on Bill’s armchair. Nevermind. His armchair didn’t deserve that.

The employees he passed were the same people that worked for him and they didn’t bat an eyelash at him as he strode through the back door. Most of them looked very dissatisfied and he couldn’t fault them. He wouldn’t want to work for Bud either. 

“Oh Mister Cipher!” A bald man in the waiter’s uniform approached. He worked here for a while, doing a pretty good job as well. “You have no idea how glad I am to see you! Please tell me you’re here to take over again.”

Bill laughed bitterly. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon enough, Hector. Where’s Bud?”

“He’s in the main hall- Why is he in charge in the first place?”

Bill brushed past him without another word. At least Bud wasn’t in his buro. Bill heard Bud before he saw him when he entered the main hall. 

The man yelled from the front row of seats in front of the stage. “No! What are you doing!? I said to the right, not to the left!”

Five of his employees pulled curtains around while Gleeful’s lackeys watched and mocked. What in hell’s name was Bud planning to do with his place?

“Bud! Old buddy, old pal!” Bill yelled, throwing his arms up.

Gleeful turned around. He got up, wide eyed and clearly not excited to see him. “Bill!? How did you get in?”

“Through the back door, looks like you didn’t get my key.” He dangled the key from his finger like a pendulum. 

“Cipher, if you think you can just waltz in here and take back your place like nothing happened, then I would recommend you to go see a doctor.” Bud sneered, brows drawn together. “You’ve lost your edge.” 

“Gleeful, if you think you can just steal my property and believe for just a second that I will allow you to do it without resistance, you’ve messed with the wrong guy. It seems you’re finally going senile.” Bill threw the key up, caught it and put it into his jacket.

Bud raised his hands. “Look, Bill. I won this place fair and square. You still owe us a ton of money. This is not your place for threats.”

“Fair and square!?” Bill laughed bitterly. “More like boogey betrug-y. There is _no way_ that you won that game out of sheer luck and certainly not because of skill! I don’t owe you _any_ money. The casino itself is worth way more than my debts.”

One of Bud’s guards stormed in. “Boss, we got-”

“Shush! I’m in a conversation!” Bud yelled at the newcomer before turning back to Bill. “That’s not how debts work, young man. I _won_ the casino. You didn’t sell it to us. A shame for you. You have until the middle of July to pay up and if you don’t, I promise you we won’t be as merciful again.” 

Bill ground his teeth. “How the hell do you expect me to pay if my main source of income has been taken away from me? You don’t even know how to run a damn casino.”

“Not my problem, good luck with that.” Bud shrugged, mouth splitting into a sardonic smile. “Maybe you could find us the little angel, am I right!?”

The people dressed in baby blue laughed. 

The angel? “What the hell are you going on about now?”

The guard from earlier spoke up. “Boss, it’s-”

“No! We’re not done yet, Freddy.” Bud shouted, then whispered something disapproving under his breath. “ _The_ angel! We put a hefty price on her back.”

Bill perked up. He hadn’t heard about angels in a while. “What’s so special about her?”

“She’s not just some angel. She’s incredibly powerful and has more angelic blood running through her than most of her kind. Rumor has it she’s even able to revive people. Nobody knows who she is but there was talk that she’s been living here for some time. Apparently she doesn’t even know she is an angel so she’s practically defenseless.”

That seemed like an easy way to pay Bill’s loans, except there had to be a downside to this. “And why exactly do you need her?”

“Oh, I don’t know the specifics of my son’s plan but he compared it to juicing her like an orange and compressing her power into a gem. Several, even.” 

Of course. The amulets some of Gleeful’s guards wore. He remembered Tom wore one during the game with Bud. They were all made from the compressed power of angels. People were killed just so another person who didn’t have angelic or demonic blood could use powers. Disgusting.

“He’s still doing that? He knows he’s never gonna be able to perfect them.” Especially not without the blueprint of the version Ford and him made and destroyed years back. Bill swallowed his disgust. This was a chance he could use. A weapon to manipulate. Maybe he could make her help him against the Gleeful’s though he doubted Bud hadn’t thought of that yet. “What makes you think people would just hand her to you instead of making her work against you?”

“Easy. Because they’ll be helplessly outnumbered if they try. The several millions we put on her will make it impossible for you to keep her.” Bud looked like he was very well aware of addressing Bill in specific. “Someone will rat you out. It’s still an outstanding price if you split it with ten people. Twenty even.”

That might be risky… but not impossible.

The guard cut Bill off before he could say anything. “We found a clue on the angel!”

“Why didn’t you say that earlier!?” Bud shouted.

“I wanted to-” The guard stopped himself, shrinking into himself as Bud continued glaring. “Rumors are spreading that she inherited. Shermie Pines is dead. She might be on the move, we’re not sure how much she knows.”

Oh. Of course it was one of the Pines. Like the situation hadn’t been convoluted enough already.

The obvious target would be Mabel Pines, but Bill knew it wasn’t her. He found her years ago and reunited her with Stan and Ford. While she may share the same blood as Shermie, Bill was sure she would’ve told everyone that she inherited so it couldn’t be her. However, she did claim to have a sibling. A sibling who she hadn’t seen since she was very young. Who mysteriously disappeared. Who Stan and Ford asked him to find.

And who showed up at his buro, claiming to have inherited from a certain Shermie Pines? It was a good thing he didn’t tell the geezers right away.

“Alright everyone, the angel hunt is officially open!” Bud yelled. “Don’t forget I’m paying for her _alive_!”

The guards ran off. Bud turned his attention to Bill. He looked so certain that Bill was going to fail. “Good luck finding her, Bill. I’ll drink on your head.”

Bill grinned. “I’m afraid you won’t have the pleasure.”

Maybe the angel wasn’t a _she_ afterall.

**▽▽▽**

Bill kept his thoughts on hold as he entered his office in the Mindscape. He didn’t plan on staying long since Stan and Ford probably wanted to lecture him again. Both of them stood on his terrace.

“I can’t believe Shermie died just like that. Son of a bitch didn’t tell us where he was. Angelic bastard wouldn’t give us a sign of life until now.” Stanley chuckled at his joke but his face fell flat fast. “Mabel didn’t even see a penny. Whoever got his inheritance must feel pretty lucky right now.”

Just like he’d expected. 

Ford sighed. “What happened happened. It’s too late to change it now. Shermie always had better things to do than talking to us non-magical people.”

Bill stalked to the glass door. “Are you two still salty you didn’t get any powers? I thought Sixxer got over it at least.” 

They turned their heads to Bill. 

“Is my mere presence not enough to alert you? Maybe I _am_ losing my edge.” He leaned against the door frame.

Stan straightened up, forehead creasing in anger. He stormed up to Bill, pulling his arm back.

Bill stopped Stan’s fist an inch in front of his face. “Wow, what’s it for this time?”

“You disappeared for two days and _gambled off_ the fucking casino, bastard!” Stan spat, tearing his hand from Bill’s grasp.

“It wasn’t my fault!” Bill straightened up, towering over Stan. “This stupid kid waltzed in like he owned the place! Which, by the way, he actually claimed! And then he interfered with my perfect plan of action! I needed a break!” 

How could Stan assume he would just gamble his own casino off!? Stan should know how much it meant to him! “I worked my ass off to be in the position I’m in, of course I wouldn’t just have let Bud win! I’m unbeatable at Mau Mau but with another person interfering and Bud likely having cheated it was no surprise I lost! It isn’t my fault!”

Ford threw up his arms. “And what do you think we did, Bill!? We worked our asses off as well! You can’t keep disappearing randomly! You’re not the only person whose existence is at stake here!” Ford took a deep breath. He straightened his glasses and crossed his arms. “But alas, what’s done is done. We can only work to fix it now.”

“Trust me, I got this,” Bill said.

“That’s the dumbest proposition you’ve ever made.” Stan glared at him. “ _How_ exactly have you got this? Are you gonna gamble off the Mindscape as well?”

“Of course not! I have a plan.”

The twins shot him looks that dripped with scepticism. Bill couldn’t wait to see their jaws hang open.

He approached them in confident strides. “I know who the angel is. The angel as in _the_ ang-”

“Yeah we know who you mean. How did you find her?” Ford looked sceptical.

“Does that matter?” If it did, he certainly couldn’t tell the truth. “Bud gave me a hint.”

“So, what’s the plan?” asked Stan.

“We sell hi- _her_ to the Gleefuls.” Bill couldn't have them know that it was actually their missing great nephew, he needed to be careful. Ford might still agree if he spoke logic to him but Stan would riot and he didn’t even want to know what Mabel would do if she heard of this.

“Well whatever you decide to do, do it fast. I did my calculations and we are going to have money problems in about a month or two. _If_ we’re lucky,” said Ford.

“Seriously? Are you actually gonna trust him on this, Sixer?” Stan asked.

“No. I’ll have a backup plan ready as soon as possible.”

Bill frowned. “We don’t need another plan. This is foolproof.” 

“I’m afraid you’re too big of a fool.”

“I can’t believe you,” Bill said before stomping inside. He turned around one last time. “I’ll show you who’s a fool.” 

**▽▽▽**

It was late in the night when Bill met with his friends to dine at a steakhouse. The place had the flair of an old south-western bar, decorated with wooden beams and brick walls combined with animal trophies on the walls to create the impression of an old hunter’s cabin. Yet you could tell how fancy this place was by the pristine style of the waiters down to the silken tablecloth. Not to mention the expensive food.

Bill and his three friends certainly didn’t fit in. Cable stood out like a sore thumb with his blue undercut, Sahir wore a yellow dress that exposed most of his torso while Bill and Diabo wore elegant suits, rivaling each other in price as per usual.

Their previous conversation died down when the steaks were served and it was silent for a while before Sahir perked up. 

“Oh, oh, I almost forgot to tell you-” Sahir smacked a hand onto the table. “We had a breakthrough! We managed to refine the properties of the drug so it’s not as lethal but even more addictive.” 

“Shut it,” Diabo grumbled. “We don’t want the whole town to know.”

“They _will_ know once we release it because they’ll all get addicted!”

Diabo slapped a hand over Sahir’s mouth but quickly pulled it away, nose pulled up in disgust while Sahir grinned, pleased. He definitely licked it.

Sahir’s attention quickly shifted to Bill. “So, how’s the money looking, Mister Himbo?”

Bill’s gut dropped. Not literally, thankfully. The feeling was equally as unpleasant. “I’m working on it. It’ll be with you as soon as I can manage.” 

Diabo squinted at him but resumed cutting his meat into squares. Bill would’ve been suspicious too. To be fair, it wasn’t really a lie. Just kind of. 

“Is there something going on at the casino? I went there today and Bud was cleaning up or somethin’. Wouldn’t let me get into the control room so I lock picked the doors and got in when he wasn’t looking.” Cable picked up a piece of meat and devoured it within a second. His skin was as pale as ever, bright turquoise hair standing out in contrast and sharp eyes prodding at Bill. “What’s up with that?”

“Temporary shift of management. Don’t worry about it.” Bill bit into his fork, realizing too late that the meat fell into the gravy which splattered right onto his suit. “Seriously!?”

Sahir snickered. “See, that’s why I say go naked. Easier to wash off blood stains.”

“I would if Diabo wasn’t such a jealous Jenny.” He reached for a napkin only to find none on the table. What kind of restaurant didn’t have napkins?

Diabo grunted and handed him a handkerchief. It was almost as if Bill could feel his distant pain, not because of his statement but because of the suit. Bill took the cloth and carefully dabbed at the stains. 

The four of them ate and chatted and drank. Once they were done, they headed out to drink some more. Smoke some. Maybe inject some. Hard to remember, it all blurred together at some point.

**▽▽▽**

The sun had almost risen above the skyline when Bill came home. He was pretty dizzy from drinking combined with various drugs consumed after dinner but his head finally started to clear up again. Demonic blood, a curse and a blessing simultaneously. A shower would do him good. 

Bill took off his vest, wondering where his jacket went. He might’ve brought it to be cleaned? He stumbled past the ever so beautiful framed picture of Jimbo’s head photoshopped onto a donut and into the bathroom where he vomited out the contents of his stomach. Bye bye, medium rare steak. You weren’t that good to begin with.

Once Bill got the horrid taste out of his mouth, he tore off his clothes and stepped into the shower. He sighed in content at the warm water drizzling onto his back like rain. The water washed away all of the physical grossness and dirt. 

However, it didn’t wash away his worries. 

If Stan and Ford were right, if they weren’t going to be able to get the casino back, if they weren’t going to get money from somewhere, Bill would have to give up his life. He didn’t even want to think about his last resort. Selling Mindscape would leave him with nothing. 

Bill shuddered, feeling cold. He turned up the heat. It wouldn’t happen. It couldn’t. He wouldn’t let it. He had it under control.

Suddenly, the water pelted on him like bullets. It felt more like a tropic storm, a hurricane, than the relaxing shower he needed. 

Bill grabbed the rack, bottles of shampoo thumping on the ground. 

Off. 

He fiddled around, trying to find the metal handle. His hand smacked against glass. Tiles. They felt more like ice. 

His eyes stung with soap. He tried to breathe but he could only cough. Drowning. Dying.

_Off!_

His fingers closed around cold metal.

The storm finally stopped. 

Bill stepped out, pressing a towel to his face, then looked to the mirror. Water dribbled from his chin. Was it tears? He didn’t cry.

“Hell, I look terrible…” he croaked, chuckling halfheartedly. He rubbed over the circles under his eyes. 

He barely set foot out of the bathroom when his phone pinged. He stopped. Who would text him at this time? Probably Stan or Ford. They were likely gonna complain more about the gravity of the situation and he didn’t wanna hear any of it. Especially not right now.

It pinged again. And again. He should mute his phone. But neither Stan or Ford would send him three messages in this short amount of time. They tended to rely on singular walls of text and short bullet-point lists. So who else could it be?

Bill sighed, walked into the living room and sat down on the couch, unlocking his phone. It displayed a number he hadn’t saved yet. Bud better not have doxxed him or some shit.

He opened the messages.

_Unsaved Number, 7:41AM: ‘Good morning, it’s Mason.’_

_Unsaved Number, 7:42AM: ‘I’m sorry about how I reacted the other day. I’m still there to help out if you need me.’_

_Unsaved Number, 7:42AM: ‘Sorry, this is probably really weird and sudden. Jimbo gave me your number.’_

Jimbo that traitor. That sweet traitor who he couldn’t be mad at for longer than a second. How did the kid even know Jimbo? Unimportant. 

All he had to do was to get Mason into his car and then sell him, there was no need to work with him.

But it wasn’t that simple, it never was. He wouldn’t just hand over a weapon like that to the Gleeful’s and help them strengthen their grasp over their city and his business. Especially not after the casino ordeal. Was it risky? Sure. Did he care? Not at this point.

Why should he sell Mason when he could use him to get the casino back? He offered his help so why not use him as a tool first? If it didn’t work out, he could still sell him afterwards.

And there was his perfect masterplan. Bill laughed. He was an absolute genius! Stan and Ford could kiss his magnificent ass.

_Bill, 7:45AM: ‘17:30 at my office, put on your best clothes’_

He had a date. How exciting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bastard Bill but he has problems to fix. F in chat.
> 
> We got the task to make a very basic board game in groups of 3 and oh boy. You have no idea how hard it is to fix simple flaws in the logic. Looks like Thicc Log isn't all that thicc anymore.
> 
> Without wanting to spoil anything, next chapter is gonna be a R I D E.


	7. Chase

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you to PicyKitty, thedogzoo, yerianais, Ghosting_Around and DeathLie for commenting on chapter 6 and ofc, thanks to everyone for reading. Appreciate ya.

Dipper didn’t like this office room. It was so fancy, he felt like Cipher might charge him for touching the door with it’s intricate carvings or for stepping on the marble tiled ground. He fumbled on his sleeve while staring out of the window he stood next to. How to start?

Cipher snapped his fingers, instantly grabbing Dipper’s attention. The man himself sat on the table like it was nothing special with the most offsetting grin. One of his teeth glinted gold. “So, darling, you wanna make a deal?”

“A deal? No, I just want to help you.”

“Well, why don’t you take a seat?” Cipher motioned towards the black leather seat.

Dipper sat down, uneasy. He could still see Cipher towering over him the other day. Telling him what he had done. Who he killed. Dipper shook his head. Bad thoughts wouldn’t help him. It was hard to convince himself to work with Cipher even if he was a cold-hearted- nevermind. It was his responsibility to make this right.

What Dipper didn’t quite understand was _why_ Cipher would suddenly want to work with when he had been very clear about not needing him before. Surely it wasn’t just his temper. Or mood swings. Although he shouldn’t be surprised after having seen the guy gambling his own casino away like a piece of cake. “Why the sudden change of mind? I thought you didn’t wanna work with ‘stupid kids’ like me.” 

Cipher hummed, adjusting his golden cuff links. “Can’t a guy decide he wants to take you up on your gracious offer?”

There was definitely more to this than Cipher wanted to let on. “He _can_ but usually there’s a reason for it.”

“Reasons here, reasons there. I don’t care.” Cipher straightened his suit before reaching out. “So, do we have a deal?”

Dipper held out his hand but pulled it back last second. 

Cipher grabbed air and cocked a brow at him. “Very funny.”

Dipper tried his best to suppress a smirk but he was 99% sure that it showed anyways. “I help you get the casino back, you let me get what I need from the safe, I keep my shares and you help to find my family, yes?” Dipper couldn’t be too specific with that guy. “Can we get this as a written contract?”

Cipher lifted his hands. “Woah, when did I say anything about your family situation? That’s your problem. I don’t wanna get caught up in reunions.” Cipher crossed his arms. “And I’m a man of my word, no contracts needed.”

“No deal either.” Dipper let his hand drop to his side. 

Cipher snarled. “Alright, fine! I’ll get you a stupid contract and help find your relatives, happy?”

“Very.” Dipper smiled. 

They shook hands. Weirdly enough, when the man’s fingers touched his, it felt… charged. Tingly. Like electricity running up his arm. The only thing comparable was with Aeon, although it felt way different. Odd. 

Cipher grinned down at him, knowingly, as if he could read his thoughts. “What is it?”

“Uh... nothing.” He pulled his hand back and the sensation faded. “So, what’s the plan, Mister Cipher?”

“First of all, call me Bill. I’m not some old buzzkill. Second of all, it’s easy! We break into the Gleeful Mansion, find Bud and _erase that fucking smile off his fa-_ ”

“Nope! Nonono. No.” Dipper shook his head. “I’m gonna leave right now if you insist on violence, _Bill_.”

“What?” Bill frowned. “Do you think we can just shamble in there and _talk_ to him? That’s absurd! He’s never going to agree to just give me my casino back.”

“ _Our_ casino.”

Bill rolled his eyes. “Whatever you wanna call it, shortstack.”

“Lets try being diplomatic. We go there, say you wanna propose some business thing-”

“And then shoot ‘em up! They’ll never see it coming!” Bill aimed his fingers at Dipper and ‘pulled the trigger’. 

A cold shiver went up his spine. He could feel the bullet hitting him. “ _No!_ We ask him to give it back and then offer trade options. You own this huge company, surely you must have the money to, I don’t know, _buy_ the casino back?”

“I’m not gonna _buy_ my own casino! People are gonna think they can make easy cash with me! I’ll get someone trying to steal my property every second day!”

“At least you’ll have it back then.”

“Until the next jerk pulls a trick and we’ll end up right here again! It isn’t that easy, but of course a kid like you wouldn’t be able to comprehend that.”

Dipper sunk into his chair. Why did he have to be so complicated about it? “I’m an adult. Look, do you want the casino back or not?”

Bill glared at him.

“That’s what I thought. You’re free to share another plan.”

Bill opened his mouth.

“ _Non-violent!_ ”

He frowned. “Alright, _fine_.”

Thank the stars.

His frown turned into mischief. “But if this doesn’t work out, consider yourself sold.”

Dipper blinked, his heart skipping a beat. “What?”

“Don’t worry about it!” Bill grinned and grabbed Dipper’s arm, pulling him out of the room. “Okay, lets go.”

“Hey!” He tried to free himself but to no avail. “Wait! To where!?”

“To Gleeful, you brainiac!”

**▽▽▽**

Dipper wouldn’t have agreed to step a foot into Bill’s car if he had anticipated what was coming.

“Slow doWN!” Dipper screeched. His heart drummed like he was running a marathon. He dug his nails into his seat and the car door like his life depended on it which was not an overreaction with that maniac of a man behind the wheel of a sports car going 200mph _inside_ the city of New Vegas. 

Them not having crashed yet was a true miracle.

Bill glanced over at Dipper, beaming. “ _Slow down_ !? How about I go even _faster_!” 

“NO!”

Just as Dipper feared Bill would murder them both, the man eased the car off the highway. Onto a road, luckily. Dipper sighed. “Don’t _ever_ do that again.”

Bill snickered. “No promises, sweet pea.”

“And stop it with the weird nicknames.”

“Duly noted, buzzkill.”

They parked in front of a small, less extravagant but relatively fancy building. A medium sized house, modern with glass and concrete walls. This couldn’t possibly be Gleeful’s home, could it? “Are you sure this is his house?”

“I’m sure it is _not._ I texted a friend to get our contract written.” Bill stepped out. “Two, if you count the one for Bud.”

“Alright.”

Bill rounded the car and stopped, then turned to Dipper. “You don’t wanna come in?”

“No thanks, I would rather not meet more people… like you.” Dipper wanted to say insane but he didn’t want to be rude. Especially not to his already insane driver.

“Good choice. Cable probably couldn’t resist shredding such a delicate flower as yourself to itty bitty pieces.” With that, Bill disappeared behind the dark wooden doors.

Dipper _wasn’t_ a delicate flower. Although flowers were pretty cool.

He looked around. He didn’t remember ever having been to this part of town. In contrast to where he lived, this area had tons of trees and looked a lot cleaner. The prices of these houses must’ve been ginormous. 

A bright yellow paper in the side of the door piqued his interest. Huh? Snooping wasn’t very nice but acceptable compared to almost getting both of them killed in a car crash. Plus, Bill would probably take a while to come back.

A letter. 

The handwriting was very neat up until the middle where it turned almost unreadable. Dipper couldn’t understand either text though, it looked like a european language. Maybe Italian or German. It was signed by two people with hearts all over. A love letter maybe? He couldn’t imagine Bill, the guy who had shamelessly flirted with him the first time they met, to write something sweet to anyone. Or _with_ anyone. 

The door clicked open. 

Dipper’s heart almost leapt out of his throat. He stuffed the letter into his pocket before Bill could sit down. “A-and? Got everything?”

Smooth.

“Yes! Don’t lose it.” Bill slapped a piece of paper onto Dipper’s lap, putting the other one away. “I hope you cleaned up after yourself, don’t want stains on the italian leather.”

“Wha-” It took him a second to catch what Bill meant. Blood rushed to his face. “Ew! That’s _not_ why I stayed in the car!”

“No? Huh, you and I are a lot different to each other then.” As if that wasn’t already obvious. Bill turned on the engine. “I almost pity you.”

“Ugh…asshole.” 

The drive to the manor was not less stressful than previously. Bill made Dipper sign their contract which Dipper had insisted on reading first. Of course Bill didn’t care and went as fast as he had gone before. Dipper had never gotten _this_ motion sick in his entire life. He prayed to whatever God wanted to listen that the people around them would stay calm so they wouldn’t get anyone else injured when they crashed. 

The Gods seemed to have listened. At some point Bill slowed down winding through narrower streets and tight traffic. They weren’t really far from the center of town but big walls, fences and villas zoomed past them already. An oasis in the heart of the city with skyscrapers towering over them like palm trees. They were close.

Bill stopped in front of one of the estates driveways, a gate blocking their path. Two guards dressed in baby blue walked up to the car and Bill rolled down the window. “Bill Cipher, I’m here to discuss business with Bud.”

The other guard was on his phone. “Boss says let him in.”

“Alright.”

They drove past the walls through huge gates.

“Those are impressive...” Bill mumbled.

“Are they?” They looked like normal gates to Dipper. Why even point that out? “What’s so special about them?”

“They’re incredibly heavy. Even a specialized car with a robust enough front couldn’t get through that.”

Oddly specific. “And?”

He didn’t get an answer as Bill parked and left the car. “Hop hop! Don’t wanna leave the guy waiting!”

Dipper followed Bill to the door, unsure what to expect. The outside of the mansion looked pretty much like any classic mansion he had seen. On the internet, not in person. It looked too normal to belong to some evil guy like Bill seemed to think Bud was. In fact, if anything, Bill looked like the evil mastermind. 

They were greeted by a butler and led inside. Everything was white marble and baby blue, almost the opposite of the casino and what Dipper had seen of Bill’s office. Chandeliers glimmered above and vases full of flowers stood on every table and every shelf. He much preferred this to Bill’s places. The flowers made him feel at home.

Was Bud really a bad guy? Maybe he should’ve just gone to him instead of Bill and asked for the safe. How vicious could a man dressed in baby blue who had a house full of flowers really be?

“Please wait in front of the door. Mister Gleeful Senior will see you shortly.” The butler turned around and left them alone. 

Dipper awkwardly glanced around. Bill seemed to be preoccupied with his nails. They were long, sharp and black like smoke. Acrylics? “Do you get your nails done?”

Bill grinned, flexing his fingers. “Why? Are you into them? I’ll scratch you for free.”

Well, he regretted having said anything. “No thanks, I don’t want your hands anywhere near me.”

“Bondage then? Kinky.” Bill chuckled.

His heart leapt into his throat. “Wha- why do you have to make _everything_ sexual!?”

“Because I savor the reactions you’re giving me, sugar.”

Dipper huffed. He should’ve figured. They waited for five more minutes, this time in silence because Dipper didn’t want to have his words used against him like that. Bill could harass someone else.

The door opened. Bill looked as confident as ever, excited even, with his head held high and lips twisted in a smirk. Dipper tried to mimic his posture, though he felt very out of place. 

They entered the room, white columns lining the huge windows on the walls. Two armed guards stood next to the door to the balcony. Dipper recognized them from the casino. A third man, Bud, perched on the balcony. He turned to Bill in delight.

"Bill! It is so wonderful to have you here!” For some reason that didn’t quite sound genuine. “But I must ask, what do I owe the pleasure to? Perhaps you would have some advice for running such an esteemed estate as your-" He giggled like he just told the funniest joke in the world "I meant _my_ casino."

"I'm here to talk business, Gleeful." Bill bit out. Dipper certainly wasn't happy either but he didn’t let it show.

"Of course! Let's have a seat, shall we?" The man gestured towards a baby blue leather couch while he roamed over to a chair behind his desk.

Dipper sunk into the couch, a bit taken aback when Bill didn't do the same. Gleeful seemed surprised too but Bill stayed put behind the couch.

"Please do have a seat." He urged.

"I prefer standing, helps the circulation. My suit wrinkles easily." 

Dipper glanced back. Bill definitely planned something. Dipper wanted to slap himself for thinking Bill would agree to pacifism just because he asked him to.

"Very well I suppose. So what exactly are we talking business about?"

Dipper could try to barter with Bud and get the casino back before Bill made his move. Whatever that may be. He’d rather not find out. "We're here to request the return of-"

"I want my casino back, Gleeful. It wasn't my intention to gamble it off,” Bill said.

If Dipper could, he would smack Bill right then and there. The reality was that he could barely reach his face standing up and much less so when he sat down. So instead he glared at him.

"Of course, of course. Who in their right mind would want to do such a silly thing? Not you, certainly not you."

"You'll give it back?" Dipper asked in relief. 

For the first time, Bud regarded Dipper. As if he hadn't even existed to him before. His mouth turned in a cruel smile before barks of laughter left it. Well, so much for that. 

The hand on the headrest of the couch next to Dipper curled into a fist. Hopefully whatever Bill had in mind wouldn't end in disaster.

"I thought so." Bill stepped back from the couch and eyed the room as Gleeful calmed himself. Dipper couldn't see what he was doing behind him but he felt the tension in the air. This couldn’t be good.

"Look, you gambled it away. It is what it is. I won it in a fair game.” Bud brushed over his desk.

Bill snorted behind Dipper. 

"If you want it back, you must pay the price.”

“Which is?”

“You know the worth of your own- former property. We can start with a billion since the renovation made it a lot more attractive. But pay your loans first if you want to keep your head."

A billion dollars. Those words settled like heavy boulders. That’s how much Dipper owed Cipher. At least.

"That's ridiculous.” Bill said, anger audible in his voice. “I haven't even covered my expenses with the earnings yet! Throw in a little sale for an old friend!"

"If anyone else wants the casino, I might consider a sale.” Gleeful's expression could be described as pure sadism. “I’ll be hosting a masquerade in two weeks to auction off the pretty little thing. It’ll make a good profit! If you want it back, it’d be best for you to have money by then."

No. He couldn't sell it. How would Dipper ever get over the knowledge he had been so close to the safe and then had it taken away? The amount of money, a whole business he cost Cipher? How could he ever make this up?

"Wrong answer,” Bill said.

Click.

Oh no. Dipper turned his head.

The barrel of a golden gun glinted in the afternoon light.

Gleeful froze, eyes wide. "This is a direct violation against the code of honor!"

"Like you give a shit about hono-"

Gleeful ducked under his desk.

Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck- Dipper sprang from the couch as the guards pulled guns. 

Click. Click.

He sprinted behind a column, pressing his back against the stone and praying that he wasn’t being aimed at..

There was one shot. Two. Three. Empty cartridges clanked on the floor. Silence.

“Bill…?” Dipper risked a peek. He could barely see Bill from his vantage point.

Holes riddled his suit. "Oh well, I didn't like this one anyways." 

The guards seemed just as confused as Dipper.

There was no blood. 

_There was no blood._

Dipper pressed himself back behind the column again. What? What just happened!? What did he see!?

Something hissed through the air. Bodies thumped to the ground.

"Is he dead!?" Gleeful asked, panicked. "Mathew? Rüdiger???"

"Sorry to disappoint but your useless bodyguards are, well, incapacitated." Bill was alive. Despite the holes in his suit. Why didn't he bleed!?

Dipper wanted to look. For certainty that they were safe. But he didn’t want to see the corpses. He only caught a glimpse of Bill before he disappeared behind the column as he stalked towards the desk. 

“Get out from under there. I’ll get you one way or another.”

Gleeful slowly stood up, arms raised, shaking slightly.

Bill appeared on the other side of the column, in front of the desk. He slapped a paper onto it. "Now, I don't need to be blasting your minuscule brain all over this nice room if you just sign this contract to give the casino back to me."

"To you!? This is rightfully my casino!"

Bill’s grip on the gun fastened. 

"A-alright. I'll give it back." Bud lowered his arms, never breaking eye contact with Bill, and grabbed a pen.

Dipper’s thoughts raced. From what he knew about Bill, it wasn’t unlikely that he excluded Dipper from this contract, meaning this paper would possibly eradicate any chance Dipper had at finding the safe. Finding out about his relations. His sibling. He couldn’t trust him.

"Wait!" Dipper rushed to the table. It wasn't smart given that Bill was armed, but if he didn't step up now he would regret this his whole life.

"Back off, kid! This grown up business!" Bill snarled. He pointed the barrel at Dipper. 

Dipper inhaled sharply.

Bill’s eyes widened as he came to the same realization as Dipper. No guns were pointed at Bud. Meaning he could-

Gleeful disappeared under his desk. "GUARDS!"

Within what felt like a split second, the doors burst open.

"Damnit!" Bill grabbed Dipper's wrist and yanked him towards the balcony.

“Hey!” Dipper struggled but as soon as bullets whizzed past them, he ran after Bill. They jumped. There was no time to process. 

It seemed as if time slowed. The sun was setting. A deep crimson red.

Dipper landed in a bush and twigs poked at his every limb. He spat out leaves, trying to get up.

A strong arm grabbed him. "We have no time for this! Come on!"

Before he knew it, Dipper was back on his feet, running past Bill’s car and towards the gates together with that insane devil of a man. His foot caught on a stone and he slowed down to regain his balance.

"Hell kid, once those gates close we’re done for! Hurry!" Bill ran only a few feet in front of him but the gates were closing fast.

Dipper’s legs ached. Faster. Please go faster! 

They wouldn't comply.

Bill slipped through the gates.

The gap was only 40 inches apart. 30.

He wasn't gonna make it. He wasn't gonna make it.

Hands gripped the metal. Clawed hands. Bill groaned in exertion as he worked against the mechanism to keep the gates open.

Dipper ran. Sprinted. Raced.

The gates closed behind him. He didn't care that he crashed right into Bill’s body.

He made it.

**▽▽▽**

“I’m glad you feel like cuddling but now is really not the time!” It was obviously a joke but the urgency behind Bill’s voice scared Dipper.

“I-”

“There! Lets go!”

Before Dipper had any time to object, Bill bolted off, across the street between two fences, through foliage. Dipper had no choice but to run after him.

“How do you know this isn’t a dead end!?” Dipper shouted, risking a look over his shoulder before the foliage obscured his view. At least ten light blue guards were after them and his legs already burned.

“I don’t!”

Dipper almost bumped into Bill again. Why wasn’t he running?

A brick wall stood right ahead. How foreseeable.

Bill knelt down and the first idea Dipper’s mind sprang to was a proposal. Luckily that wasn’t what was happening at all.

“What are you waiting for!? Get up there, slowpoke!” Bill barked.

Dipper stepped onto Bill’s hands to scale the wall. He pulled himself over. In front of them was a bigger street. Bill followed with a single jump.

A bullet whizzed over them. Dipper yelped.

Holy-

And then they ran again. Despite the aching legs. Dipper was fueled purely by adrenaline at this point. 

The houses got taller and taller. Skyscrapers surrounded them. This was one of the main streets. Maybe they could lose them.

Nevermind. Light blue cars drifted around the corner, stopping traffic and resulting in an orchestra of honking. Was their whole organization color coded!?

“Hell!” Bill pulled Dipper into an alley. People behind them shouted. They ran in twists and turns past old buildings covered in graffiti. Two bullets shattered a stained window right next to Dipper.

And then Bill slammed through a door leading to a staircase, pulling him inside, against his chest and shutting the door.

“Ouch! What are you-” 

Bill covered his mouth, shut the door and watched the door. 

Blood pumped through Dipper’s ears. He felt Bill’s heart was racing on the back of his head. His calloused hand on his lips. They both suppressed their panting, Bill’s lungs expanded, slow and controlled. Dipper should have felt terrified, yet for just a second he felt oddly safe.

He wasn’t safe. Shouting came from the outside. People coming closer.

Bill lifted his hand. Still weary. Dipper stayed leaning against him

Someone spoke behind the door. Dipper held his breath as if they could hear any noise he made. 

More footsteps. They stopped right in front of the door.

Then they moved on.

Dipper exhaled. “Holy moly.” He couldn’t believe he’d just done that. Done _what_ though? Helped a criminal escape? A _murderer?_

As soon as he realized he was still pressed against that rising chest, he pushed himself away. 

Something crunched beneath his feet. Broken glass. 

More shouting. Dipper froze.

“We need to move.” Bill whispered, heading for the stair. They didn’t exactly look stable, some chunks missing, revealing the metal wires that held it all together.

“Are those safe?”

“Safer than a bullet in your chest.”

Both of them half ran, half sneaked up the stairs. Dipper tried stepping exactly where Bill had stepped. If the stairs could carry the man’s massive body, they would certainly support Dipper’s. 

“Bill, where are we running to!? Do you know where this ends!?”

“Nope! But I’m hoping it’s-”

The door kicked open. A flashlight hit his eyes. “They’re here!”

Bill looked at him for a second. “Run.”

They sprinted upstairs, the concrete and wires screeching and groaning under their weight. They ducked as bullets hailed on them before continuing. They arrived on the topmost floor. Before them stood a single door. 

Bill broke the door open to reveal the sky. “A rooftop!”

Dipper didn’t wait for Bill this time, he ran out, jumping over vents and cables. Bill’s footsteps behind him were enough to comfort him for now.

“Don’t let them get away!”

Bullets panged on metal. On stone. Shooting through the air, left and right. Please don’t hit. _Please don’t hit._

And then they were at the edge of the building. He didn’t have time to think so when Bill leapt to the other side, he followed. He didn’t actually realize he jumped over a gap 100 feet deep until his feet hit the other rooftop.

On either side of the building were streets and more buildings. Skyscrapers in the background. Billboards floated next to the streets. If he wasn’t running for his life right now, he would find this place pretty.

“FUCKING HELL! Can we not have good luck for once!?” Bill stood at the edge. In between the next building and them was a highway. Way too far to jump over. And too high up.

Dipper stopped.

“What do we do now!?” He looked back. The guards had almost caught up. They were surrounded with several barrels pointed at them.

Bill looked Dipper in the eyes. “We jump.”

“What!?” 

“Trust me!” Bill picked Dipper up.

“What are you doing!?” Dipper banged his fists against Bill’s chest. Trusting Bill was the last thing he wanted to do right now.

Bill charged towards the edge. 

“No!”

He leapt. 

Dipper fell with him, heart hammering as his stomach turned around. He saw the street coming closer. Dipper closed his eyes. This was it. Maybe he would find his family in the afterli-

Thump. 

He didn’t feel any pain. Was he dead already?

No. He felt Bill’s arms still wrapped around him. He felt their heartbeats. Heard their breathing.

They were going upwards.

Wait, _what!?_

Dipper opened his eyes. Bill stood on a billboard 150 feet above dozens of cars zooming past. Bill extended his arms, holding Dipper over the edge of the billboard with a grin.

Holy shit. _Holy shit._

“Please don’t-” Dipper clenched his eyes shut and clung to Bill for his dear life. He could let go any moment. Dipper could hear his bones crunching. He could see his intestines splattered over the street. Dragged over the asphalt by tires. 

But they landed. They weren’t moving anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy. What a ride, am I right? 
> 
> I hope you all had a nice Halloween! I spent mine drawing, gaming and watching a movie with friends over on Discord. It was a vibe tbh.


	8. Dubious Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And once more, thank you to all the readers. Thank you to PicyKitty, yerianais, Ghosting_Around, winterschizophrenia and DeathLie for commenting! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoy this fic as much as you do! I worked on this since May and you guys really motivate me to keep editing this next to college work, art and adulting.

Fucking hell, that felt  _ amazing _ ! Some real excitement for once! A rooftop chase if that wasn’t enough! Though Mason looked like he would disagree, his arms clinging to Bill’s shoulders with his head pressing into Bill’s chest, eyes shut tight.

Bill smirked, rocking him back and forth like a baby. “It’s alright, little bird. You can open your eyes now.”

Mason glanced around for two seconds before his head snapped to Bill. Realization spilled over his face in the shape of a blush. “L-let me go!”

People usually asked Bill for the opposite but he would gladly oblige. He let Mason fall to the ground.

“Ouch! Asshole!” Mason smacked his leg although Bill barely felt it.

“Not very polite to the person who just saved your life!”

“ _ You  _ were the one who got me into this in the first place!”

“I could say the same for you.” Bill sat down on a vent. The guards over on the other building were leaving but not in a hurry. As he had expected.

“Ugh.” Mason stood up, brushing a hand through his hair. “Shouldn’t we get away?”

“Nah,” Bill replied nonchalantly. “Bud probably called them back. He doesn’t want me dead, they must’ve thought we stole something.”

“Are you sure? If they send the guards up here we’re done for this time.”

“Pretty sure-” Bill yawned, wiping sweat from his face. Damn was he tired. The sun had already dipped beneath the skyscrapers. He hadn’t slept in- he checked his phone- well over a day. Besides the time, the screen also displayed several notifications. Who could it be this time?

_ Sahir, 8:46PM: “Hey loser” _

_ Sahir, 8:46PM: “Don’t tell me you’re busy, we’ve been waiting for your oily ass” _

_ Sahir, 1:12PM: “You’re out of whiskey, bitch” _

Typical. He typed a reply and was about to hit send when he noticed someone staring. Mason to be exact. Bill had been teasing him a lot for being attracted to him even though he knew that wasn’t the case but that look he was giving him spoke volumes against that. A weird fascination.

Bill grinned. He could use this to his advantage. “You’re staring, hummingbird. Don’t fault you though, I am very handsome.” 

Mason pulled up his nose in disgust. “Ugh. I’d rather dig my own grave than call you handsome.”

Bill laughed. “We just got away from a dozen people shooting at us! Don’t you feel great!? I feel like I was just reborn!”

“No! Of course not! I feel like I just got into a ton of trouble and had my life shoved on the line because you thought it would be a good idea to pull out a darn gun! We didn’t even get anything out of this!”

Bill pulled up his brows. How could Mason still be riled up about that? They were safe now. Neither of them got injured. Well, except for a couple scratches from the bushes they fell into.

“Are you not upset at all!?” Mason asked.

“No. I didn’t actually think either of our plans would work so I settled for the bare minimum. Information.” And information he got.

Mason’s jaw dropped. “Wha- We almost died for  _ information!?  _ This better be some  _ really _ good information! You killed two people! ”

“Bud told us he wants to auction the casino off and he also said when. That’s our deadline. The middle of June.” Bill stood up, frowning. “You could say it like that but I didn’t kill anyone.”

“You shot them!” he protested.

“No, I didn’t.” He looked into Mason’s eyes. “Did you hear any gunshots?”

Mason opened his mouth, then closed it, his brows drawing together. “Then... why did they drop?”

Right. Bill hadn’t thought that far. He wasn’t supposed to tell him about this but then again… “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“What? Why not?”

Bill sighed. He would find out eventually no matter if Bill told him or not. He might as well collect the trust points.

“Tell me,” Dipper demanded.

“Alright. I incapacitated them with electricity.”

Mason looked confused. “With a taser? I didn’t see one on you.”

Bill laughed. Tasers, what a joke. “I wasn’t carrying one.”

“So? How?”

Bill grinned. “Magic.”

Mason stared at him with that familiar look of scepticism. He was truly a Pines.

When Bill didn’t give any more information, Mason sighed. “Right. And why are you not bleeding? You got shot several times.”

“Okay, _ that’s _ pretty obvious.” Bill unbuttoned his suit to prove a point.

“H-hey wait! What are you doing!?”

“Don’t be so dense, I’m answering your questions.” He opened his jacket, presenting what’s underneath. “Look, bulletproof vest!” In hindsight he should’ve given Mason one as well. After all he was a very valuable specimen that Bill couldn’t afford to get a bullet lodged into. 

“You’re meaning to tell me you can use magic to kill people but you can’t shield yourself from bullets?” Dipper asked, an unbelieving edge to his voice.

“Yeah, smartass. Believe it or not, that’s how it works! I’m not Sahir.” 

“I don’t know what your goal here is but I’m not going to believe in whatever bullshit you’re going on about. And who’s that supposed to be? Neo from The Matrix?”

“Definitely not. He’s-” An idea crept it’s way into Bill’s mind. Mason wouldn’t be leaving him just yet. “Actually, why don’t you come see for yourself?”

**▽▽▽**

As soon as they got off the building and Bill walked into a fancy liquor store on the street they crossed, Dipper knew this night wasn’t over yet.

“You’re not planning to drink and drive, right?” Dipper prayed for a no but he wholeheartedly expected Bill to say yes. “I’d like to get home in one piece.”

“Hah! A bit of alcohol does nothing to my driving. I’ve driven races on much harder drugs than that!” Bill picked up several bottles of hard liquor.

If that was supposed to calm Dipper down, it ended up having the opposite effect.

“But no, these are for my friends. And you could use a drink as well.” Bill went to the cashier and paid.

Dipper didn’t even try to understand how Bill could get out of a gun fight and then casually go buy alcohol ‘for friends’. Honestly, Dipper suspected him to only have said that so the cashier wouldn’t send him out empty handed. “No thanks.”

They left the store and when Dipper got into another one of Bill’s many cars, he at least expected to get home. With Bill in the equation, that was not where he ended up.

He brought Dipper to a lounge area in the Mindscape building. It featured a big table with a couch that could fit 10 people, lit up in purples and blues with chill music playing in the background. Other than that, there was a small bar and a fairly empty liquor shelf, indicating Bill hadn’t lied about the alcohol. 

Waiting for them were three very odd men and the only one Dipper didn’t immediately feel threatened by was a smaller, long haired one who sat in a wheelchair and had an eye tattooed to his forehead. 

“Wowowow! Where have you been to? Oh and you brought a snack!” The three-eyed man said, rolling around him. It was impressive how easy it looked for him to maneuver despite the wheelchair. He reached out and pulled a leaf from Dipper’s hair. “Did you fuck in a park?”

“Excuse me?” Dipper backed off. Who the heck were these people!? Why was he even asking? They were some insane rich guy’s friends. 

“Mason, Sahir. Sahir, Mason,” said Bill. “And no, sadly this one resists my charms.”

Sahir’s expression turned malicious. “Well, if you’re not fucking I might as well use him to show Cable who the real master at despining is.”

“No spines today, Sahir. I need him,” said the insane rich guy while placing the bottles of liquor onto the bar counter.

“New pet, huh?”

Dipper couldn’t believe what he had heard. “I’m  _ not _ his pet! Or anyone’s for that matter!”

“Was about time you brought more,” said the dark man getting up from his barstool with a glass in hand. He grabbed one of the bottles Bill brought and poured it before drinking. Dipper almost thought Bill and him might be twins. He looked very similar to him down to the heterochromatic eyes but his voice was deeper, bone structure more blunt while his whole demeanor appeared more grounded. Not sharp and over the top like Bill. 

The man glanced at Dipper, eyes flicking up and down, his face about as readable as a brick wall. “He looks like he’d break very easily.”

What was that supposed to mean? Dipper ignored the statement and held out his hand. He didn’t want to seem impolite in the presence of these people. “My name is Mason.” 

The man stared at him, then at his hand, as if Dipper did something fundamentally wrong. Then he went back to his barstool. Did insane criminals not shake hands? He had a feeling these people didn’t like him all that much. Good thing he liked a challenge.

The elevator door opened behind Dipper.

“Guys, I have to tell you what happened the other day!” 

Wait. Did he recognize that voice? Bill’s eyes lit up at whoever entered so it couldn't be anyone good.

“A mundane friend of mine almost found out about my powers so I just stuffed a donut into- Dipper!?” 

Wait. He _ knew  _ that voice. Dipper turned around to find the last person he expected to ever find here. “Jimbo!? What are  _ you _ doing here?”

“I- These are my friends!” Jimbo looked as surprised as Dipper felt before a warm smile took over. “I should be asking you the same but I guess it’s no wonder you’re here after I gave you Bill’s number.” Jimbo winked at him.

Dipper rolled his eyes. “Ugh. It’s not like that.”

“Dipper, huh?” Bill grinned down at him.

Oh great. He did not need Bill to know about that. “It’s a nickname reserved for  _ friends only. _ ”

“Perfect,  _ Dipper! _ ”

Dipper rubbed his hand over his forehead. This was totally going well. But there was a slim chance that these people weren’t assholes like Bill if Jimbo was also friends with them. Dipper would be lying if he said he was’t intrigued at the possibility of new friends, however it was also very late and these people didn’t seem like his kinda company. “When are we leaving?”

Bill laughed. “What do you mean? We’ve just arrived and you barely introduced yourself. At least give them a chance to let these criminal bastards weasel their way into your gooey heart!”

That sounded like a horrible idea. Dipper pursed his lips. “Half an hour. I would like to go to bed.” 

“Children’s bedtime. Why am I not surprised? Two hours.”

“ _ One _ hour is enough.”

Bill hummed. “Have a seat.”

Huh. It actually worked.

Dipper sat down next to the man who had his blue hair tied into a bun, face as pale as snow with dark circles under his eyes. Dipper swallowed. “Nice to meet you.”

“Cable.” The man snorted, his icy eyes piercing Dipper’s skin. “So you’re the kid I wrote the contract for.”

Dipper shivered. Cable’s presence unsettled him deeply. There was something off about him but Dipper couldn’t place it. He felt like someone was forcing their way into his head. It sent shivers up his back, so he avoided eye contact as much as possible. “Yeah, that’s me.”

Bill walked up to them, standing next to Dipper which he was happy about for once as Cable’s attention shifted. “I’m gonna get some drinks, what do you want?”

Drinks? He was  _ not _ gonna get wasted with  _ this _ company, that seemed like a really bad idea. “Something sweet and sparkly, no alcohol.”

“Buzzkill.” Cable said before turning to Bill. “I wanna know what you see in this kid besides the body. And a glass of martini.”

Bill pulled up a brow, then got up and went to the bar.

Dipper felt his insides shrivel up. Maybe staying had been the bad idea.

“Oh-oh, something’s up,” Cable sang.

“Or it’s Bill being Bill.” Added at the bar the man whoDipper failed to shake hands with.

“What did you even do with the contract for Gleeful?” Cable looked to Bill but when he didn’t answer, he turned back to Dipper. “Hm?”

Dipper sighed. He did not want to talk about that disaster. “We drove to Gleeful’s mansion with the plan-” He shot a glare towards Bill. “-to trade the casino. But  _ someone _ decided to pull out a freaking gun while there were two armed people in the room!”

“Just getting a signature wouldn’t have worked. Bud needs to be shown who’s on top.” Glasses clinked on the table as Bill joined them, sitting down next to Dipper. “And so I took them out.” 

“And now they’re _ dead. _ ”

“No they’re not! Okay, there _is_ a chance that they are but it wasn’t my intent to kill them.” He seemed almost offended before returning to his signature grin. “You guys should’ve seen Bud’s face!”

Dipper groaned. “Bill stop pretending this is a joke! You wouldn’t even tell me  _ how _ you shocked them without a taser!”

“I did tell you! It’s not my fault you don’t believe me!”

“He doesn’t know?” Sahir joined the table.

“Nope. He doesn’t want to believe it.”

“Why don’t we prove it then?” Sahir grinned. He grabbed one of the full glasses and took a sip. Then he threw it.

“Hey!” Dipper ducked, shielding himself from the glass and the liquid. 

There was no thunk. No splash. 

He dared to look.

The glass and liquid hovered two feet above the table. He blinked. Once. Twice. It was still right there, floating.

“Wha- what?”

Sahir swished his wrist. The liquid inside the glass moved upwards in a spiral, like a tendril of sorts. 

Dipper stared, his mouth hanging open. He didn’t drink anything. He was sober. So why was this happening? “How!? How is this possible!?”

“Magic. I told you.” Bill leaned over the table, biting into the liquid tentacle. “Tasty.”

Sahir gasped. “Hey! Rude bastard!” 

Dipper rubbed his eyes. Nope, it was still there. Against all laws of physics. So was Bill telling the truth? “So, your power is… shocking people?”

“Well, not exactly. I can take control of electricity. Jimbo, will you come over here for a second?”

Jimbo came over. Did he really keep this to himself all this time? Even though he knew how much Dipper loved the supernatural? “You knew of all of this and never told me!?”

“Yeah. It’s supposed to be kept as secret as possible, nothing personal. Sorry, munchkin.”

“But now you’re an exception now, Dipper.” Bill put his hand on Jimbo’s back with an apologetic look that quickly shifted into a broad grin. “Excuse me.”

“What do you- Ou-hu-hu-hu-houch!” Jimbo spasmed for three seconds, his hair now standing in all directions. He pouted at Bill. Sahir snickered and even the grumpy guy on the barstool looked amused.

“Everyone else in this room would have bitten my hand off.” Bill patted Jimbo’s head. “Nothing personal.”

Dipper was for sure hallucinating. Jimbo and Bill couldn’t know each other. Why would Jimbo be involved with some rich douchebag? Or maybe he was dreaming. But Jimbo and Bill in the same room with magic involved couldn’t be real.

“Cat got your tongue? I do hope I’m the cat.” Bill grinned at him like a cheshire cat. 

This couldn’t actually be happening. “N-no there must be an explanation! The liquid thing was just a projection! And you do have a taser!”

“I promise you, tasers are laughable to this guy.” Jimbo offered.

“Right you are! All I need are these two gorgeous hands and the rest of my body. Trust me, I can do things the taser could never  _ dream of _ ,” Bill purred.

“Are you… for real?” 

“Is this kid dumb or something?” Cable rubbed his forehead.

“Maybe I dropped him too hard earlier.” Bill put his hand onto Dipper’s shoulder. “Do you need me to demonstrate?”

Dipper flinched away. “No! I’m good! I believe you!”

“See? Wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“So then what can the rest of you do?” He looked over to the guy at the bar, to Sahir and then to Cable. 

Jimbo was first to answer. He motioned towards the bar, the man on the barstool looking up briefly. “Diabo can control bodies, like a voodoo king if you will. Don’t mess with him, it’s scary.”

“And Cable is a telepathic. He can read your mind and communicate without words,” said Bill.

‘ _ You could’ve figured,’  _ said Cable's voice in his head.

Dipper almost jumped out of his chair. “What the heck!? Don’t do that!”

Cable laughed. “Always gets them.”

Then they looked at Jimbo. No way. 

“Don’t tell me you  _ also _ have magic!”

“I also have magic.” Jimbo scratched his head. “But I only discovered it through these guys so I haven’t mastered it yet. I can make things heat up. This is how I bake. Keeps the gas bill low.”

Huh. Cogs turned in Dipper’s head. Heat. 

“It’s also how I set the shop on fire frequently.”

“Yeah, that does make sense.” And then it clicked. “The other day when I hugged you and asked you if you had a fever-”

“That’s a side effect. When I use my powers, my own body temperature changes.”

“But isn’t that dangerous?”

“I’m still alive so I guess not.” Jimbo smiled.

Man. Dipper did not in any way, shape or form think he would be finding out about life changing things like the existence of magic today. Or ever. Honestly, he wasn’t even complaining. This kind of made up for the shitty rest of the day he had. 

“A lot to process for your puny human brain, huh?” Sahir asked.

Human...? Dipper looked at his hands, an interesting thought entering his head. What about him? “So if you all have powers, does that mean… I have powers too?” 

“If that was how it worked we wouldn’t have Gleeful to deal with,” Bill frowned.

“He would be stronger,” said Diabo.

Dipper looked between the two. “What do you mean?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Bill paused. “To answer your question: No. You don’t have magic.”

“But why do you have magic then?”

Bill stood up. “Alright, it’s been half an hour. Time for bed, kitchen utensil.”

Seriously? Just now that Dipper wanted to stay? “Kitchen utensil!? Your nicknames are really getting worse. Why do you want to leave all of the sudden?”

“ _ Dipper _ . I want to leave because we agreed to it, buttercup. Now come or you can walk home alone.”

“Alright, alright.” Walking through the streets of New Vegas alone was never a good idea. But driving with Bill was honestly worse. 

**▽▽▽**

When Dipper came home, the first thing he did was get out a box of cookies and slump into the couch. He rubbed over his arms, red scratches from their fall earlier barely visible at this point. This day hadn’t quite been the best. Or most normal. Or anything he was used to. So why didn’t he feel… afraid? Shocked? Disgusted? Paranoid? He found out about magic for God’s sake!

“Are you alright?”

Dipper almost choked when Aeon stood next to the couch. For a blind man he was incredibly good at sneaking up on people. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He was glad Aeon couldn’t see how messed up Dipper’s clothes were. 

“I know something is going on and I get that you don’t want me interfering but… whatever it is...” He paused. His voice was almost heartbreakingly genuine. “Please take care of yourself. Don’t get involved with the wrong people.”

“...Okay.”

Aeon nodded and then left.

Don’t get involved with the wrong people. Dipper snorted. It was too late for that already. He was pulled into this mess by Bill who was the exact kind of person he had wanted to avoid. A criminal. 

So why did Dipper feel a sense of… longing? Because that man lived a life that was fundamentally different to Dipper’s? Because his only problem seemed to be money which he supposedly had plenty of? Because of how little he was concerned for his own safety? Or because of the magical world that Dipper hadn’t even known existed until now? What was it like to control an element like that? 

Earlier when they sat on the roof he looked so normal. Like a guy who went to an office every day. Or maybe a more active job. One that would suit his muscular form better. Something that was risky. He didn’t look like a cold-hearted killer and much less like a mage. Or whatever Bill and his friends considered themselves.

That didn’t change who Bill was though. Just another narcissistic rich man who would do anything for money. He wasn’t someone Dipper would choose to be around. And then there was still the unanswered question of why Bill had suddenly changed his mind about accepting Dipper’s help. He clearly stated Dipper would be useless before. What changed? What did Bill see in him now? What did  _ he _ have that Bill desired? And how risky was it for Dipper to work with him?

There were no answers. Not yet. But he would have to stay weary around Bill. He was not to be trusted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's all the Ciphers in one spot. Who of them is your favorite? Obviously Jimbo is best boy but Sahir tho. Hella fun to write ngl. And Bill is just a dumb himbo.
> 
> I've been thinking about a new AU that entered my brain. I call it Ghost Town AU because Mabel buys a Ghost Town and drags Dipper along with her to fix it and possibly turn it into a theme park. Well, Bill is there too. I doodled him and he was dubbed Yeehaw Bill by the people on the Billdip Network Discord. I bet you can't imagine why.
> 
> Next chapter is gonna have some t e n s i o n, if you know what I mean. Hehe.


	9. Respect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to PicyKitty, TrueAlphaShipper, winterschizophrenia and DeathLie for commenting on the previous chapter! Adn thanks to everyone reading, ofc!

It was 1pm when Dipper stood in Bill’s office once again. He texted Bill earlier about how he was planning to move forward and when the man left him on read for hours, he simply decided to pay him a visit, thinking he might be busy. 

On the contrary, Bill sipped on coffee which Dipper assumed was spiked with hard alcohol or some other drugs, looking through magazines with half naked women on the cover without a care in the world. Bill put it down and held the cup towards Dipper. “Want some? It’s very tasty. Might help you loosen up a little.”

“Thanks, but no thanks.” Dipper sat on the edge of the table, politely pushing the cup back.

“You know, this reminds me of all the people who put their bare asses there before you. Good times.”

Dipper groaned, his face flushed. This shouldn’t even surprise him but he slipped off the desk anyways. “Can you stop being so- I don’t know-  _ you _ ?”

“I can’t. That’s the point of having separate entities living on this ball of earth, isn’t it?”

“Then at least stop the sexual remarks. It’s unprofessional.” 

Bill set down the cup of coffee. “Oh trust me, the people I laid on this desk were plenty professional. Lawyers, managers, hoteliers, CEOs, celebri-”

Dipper slapped his hands over his ears. He didn’t need the mental image of Bill fucking on this desk. Or anywhere for that matter. “Nope! I don’t wanna know. I’m here to discuss how we’re gonna get the casino back.”

“Right. I forgot you’re a childish toddler.” Bill snorted. “Well, I was thinking I break in when Bud is there to get him to sign the contract. I suggest lots of ammunition and explosives!”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. And this sounds like a terrible plan. We’re not doing that. What would be the point in destroying the building you want to get back? Unless you’re into ruins.” Which Dipper could honestly imagine at this point.

“Then give me a better idea.”

Dipper hummed, looking to the ceiling. “We could sneak in with the help of your friends and confront Bud in private.”

Bill quirked his brows. “ _ We? _ I thought you didn’t like violence. Plus, how are  _ you _ going to be of any help? I was thinking you could just watch the guards or something.”

“Yes of course  _ we _ ! I’m not letting you do this alone! You’re reckless!”

Bill sighed. “You can come with me to get materials if you’re that eager.”

“And then we’ll discuss the plan?”

“ _ Sure. _ ” Bill rolled his eyes. He obviously didn’t want Dipper to be a part of this but he wasn’t a toddler nor was he childish. He was an adult capable of fixing the waves he caused. He would be a part of this.

**▽▽▽**

Once more, Dipper got into Bill’s car. Begrudgingly. He would’ve rather taken the bus. Hell, he would have preferred a taxi even with how expensive they were. At least those would’ve given him better chances of not dying in a car accident. Luckily the drive was short. Once out of the car, Bill pulled him through shady alleyways in what seemed to be an abandoned area. Until more and more people surrounded them.

“So, what exactly is this place?” Dipper asked as they squeezed through alleys filled with crowds of very sketchy looking people. 

“The black market,” Bill said as if it was obvious. “Most of the people here have magical abilities, usually not too skilled, or at least are involved with magic in one way or another.”

Dipper couldn’t help but to look around. There were tons of street vendors, calling out for products that Dipper wasn’t sure he knew. It looked like a scene from a movie in the 2020s. Wait, was that an illegal fighting ring? 

“And how did this place stay secret so long?” Dipper asked but got no reply. He looked around, slightly panicked. “Bill?”

Dipper thought he saw that blonde head further along and struggled pushing against the masses until a hand grabbed his shoulder. He prepared to punch whoever touched him. 

For the first time, Dipper was relieved to see Bill. 

“Stay close or I’ll hold your hand.” 

Nevermind.

Bill kept an eye on Dipper as they made their way through the chaos, glancing back every couple of feet. “To answer your question, the place is guarded by the Society of the Blind Eye. They work to keep magic hidden. A few of my associates also work for them.” 

That sounded ominous. “And… what exactly do they do?”

“Basically, they wipe out and replace memories of humans who could potentially be dangerous. They destroy proof and anyone that escapes the net will just be regarded as crazy.”

“That doesn’t seem very secure.”

Bill shrugged. “You underestimate human stupidity. It worked for a long time.” 

Human…? What was it with Bill and his friends saying ‘human’ as if they weren’t humans themselves? Before he could ask, Bill yelled from a couple feet ahead. Dipper rushed behind him, staying close. He grabbed his cuff when people started pushing them apart. 

Bill pulled his hand away and stopped in the middle of the street, facing him. “Don’t touch those!” Bill barked. “You already made me lose my other pair.”

Dipper flinched, not sure what he was referring to. “Your what?”

Bill tugged him into a side alley in a rough manner. “My cufflinks. They got lost when we ran from Gleeful’s dumb guards.”

“Hey-” That was what he got upset about? Cliche monetary value? Could this guy be any less likable? “It’s just cufflinks. You can get new ones.”

“No I can’t! They were my favorite!” He held up one of his hands, pointing at his turquoise gem cufflinks. “These are trash. I wanted to commission the guy who made my old ones but he died and now I have to run around with these dysfunctional pieces of garbage.”

Dipper wanted to laugh. This was ridiculous.

“Yeah, you think this is funny.” Bill turned and walked over to a red building, pushing open a heavy door. “Wait here. I’m gonna go get something real quick.”

“What?” Why would Bill bring him here only to make him wait outside? “But you agreed that I come with you!” 

“Luckily, agreeing isn’t nearly as binding as promising or making a deal! Don’t get kidnapped!” Bill slammed the door shut behind himself. 

Dipper sighed and leaned against the wall, cautious whenever people walked by. Luckily the street was very calm and nobody seemed to care about him. 

Why was Bill acting like that? Like he didn’t think Dipper was able to handle… whatever he had just walked into. He wasn’t a child anymore. He’d taken responsibility since he could remember. For the kids in his orphanage. For the animals he worked with. For Aeon and his dog.

Sure, he wasn’t a cutthroat by far but he also wasn’t a helpless kid anymore. He messed up and he wanted to own up to it. And most importantly, he wanted to contribute to finding his family. He could handle this. Bill should be more appreciative.

Think of the devil, the door creaked open and Bill stepped out. He didn’t seem to have bought anything.

“What did you get?” Dipper asked.

“None of your business. Now come on, I need something else.” Bill brushed past him.

“Don’t tell me we came here for nothing-” Dipper had trouble keeping up. “And it _ is _ my business! You brought me here!”

“So be grateful for that.”

“Ugh. Why are you being like this? Can you slow down?”

“I’m going to a club later. I have some people to chat up after this.” Bill bumped into someone who turned around and yelled but Bill kept going.

Dipper quickly excused them before catching up again. “Which club? Will you at least take me with you?”

“One packed with people like me. You wouldn’t fit in.”

“You're excluding me from the preparation!” At this point, Dipper had to break into a jog to be able to keep up with Bill. “And I still don’t know what the plan is! How are we gonna get the casino back!?”

“I’ll go in and do my thing.”

Dipper frowned. He almost tripped over his feet. “I’m still- coming with you!”

Bill stopped and turned around. He looked Dipper up and down, pulling up a brow. “No you’re not. Period. You can stay at my place or whatever. There’s no part for you to play. You’d be deadweight.” 

Dipper clenched his jaw, frowning. “I’m not a deadweight!”

“No? Then tell me what you can do.”

Dipper opened his mouth but found nothing to say. “I-”

“Exactly. You’re useless. You refuse violence and even if you didn’t, have you  _ seen _ yourself? You’re eyecandy but for fucks sake I could break your leg by looking at it for too long! How do you want to help me?” 

“I’m not-”

“Sh sh sh.” Bill placed a finger on Dipper’s lips and grinned dangerously, towering over him before throwing an arm around his shoulders. “If anything, you can get yourself dressed up- actually  _ undressed _ would be even better- waiting on my bed for a job well done.”

Tears pricked the corners of Dipper’s eyes. He didn’t know what to say. Bill went too freaking far. His fists clenched as anger started boiling. 

“I.” He threw Bill’s arm off his shoulder. “Am not.” He pushed Bill away. “Some  _ weak  _ little  _ damsel  _ in  _ distress _ !” He shoved at Bill as hard he could, the anger fueling him.

That’s when he noticed that they had been in this part of the black market before. Behind them was the fighting ring. This was the moment his former self defense teachers had been waiting for. 

Dipper would show him what he was capable of.

**▽▽▽**

“Fight me!” Dipper yelled, faces turning towards him.

Bill expected him to be angry. Angry but flustered. Or annoyed. Or even breaking out into tears. But no, Dipper subverted those expectations. Did he really hear that right?

Dipper took a fighting stance, head low, protected by his forearms, expression dead serious.

Bill’s ears were fine apparently. He wasn’t so sure about Dipper’s brain though. He must’ve tried some of the food here. Bill laughed. “That’s ridiculous. I’m not gonna fight you!”

“Do it! Fight me!” Dipper shoved at him.

He was actually serious. 

Well, Bill wouldn’t fight someone like him. He was twice as tall and probably had a hundred times more muscle than Dipper. The kid stood no chance. “I won’t fight you but maybe I should bring you to the hospital.”

“Oh so you’re afraid of losing, huh!?”

A crowd had gathered around them by now. They were all cheering. Bill knew exactly what Dipper was trying to do and he didn’t like how well it worked. “Of course not! How could a twig like you keep up with me!?”

What the hell had gotten into the kid? Aggressions he didn’t know of? Did he not get enough sleep? Hormones? Angel puberty? He only knew what demon puberty was like.

“Well then get in the ring and fight me, asshole!”

“I  _ will not-” _

People grabbed both of them, chanting and pushing them into the ring despite Bill’s attempts of resistance. There were too many, whistling and cheering. Some had their phones up. There was no way to get out of this. 

“Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Dipper slapped Bill’s arm. 

It didn’t even hurt properly but the prickling sensation was uncomfortable nonetheless. “What the hell was that supposed to be!?”

“Come on, jock. You’re all muscle and no brains, so why fret!?”

“ _ Jock! _ ? What are you then? My cheerleader!?” He could see Dipper moving in to hit him again. He dodged. “This is stupid!”

“You are stupid, asshole!” Dipper went for another slap and Bill dodged, getting hit by Dipper’s other hand. It barely missed his face and hit his neck instead. 

Bill ground his teeth together. He rubbed over the spot, snarling. “ _ Stop. It. _ ”

Dipper slapped him again. 

Bill tried to get a hold of Dipper’s hand but he was too fast. Slaps landed on both of his sides and they stung. This was getting annoying. “I’m warning you! Stop or I  _ will _ smash your head into the ground!”

“Do it then! I’m waiting!”

Bill dodged another hit. And another one. Until Dipper slapped him right in the face. The sound echoed off the buildings and Bill’s skin felt like it had been put onto tiny needles. 

This fucking  _ ant. _

“Ohoho,  _ you went TOO FAR, Mason _ .” He growled. Sweat beaded on his forehead and electricity bounced over his skin. It took him incredible self control not to fry Dipper.

Bill charged at him but the boy evaded him with ease and slapped the back of Bill’s neck again. Bill growled, turning and sprinting to pin Dipper to the ropes. 

Dipper ducked away and ran around Bill, kicking him out of the ring in a moment of imbalance.

Bill landed in a mass of euphoric people. Dozens of hands who promptly shoved him back in. Bill straightened himself, throwing his jacket to the side and undoing his cuffs. Glaring at Dipper harder than he glared in a long time. Even Diabo would be proud.

“Come on, big boy!” Dipper yelled with a triumphant smirk. He was getting too smug for Bill’s liking.

“You will regret this,” Bill hissed. He felt his sanity slipping but he didn’t care. Dipper wanted a damn fight so he was going to fucking give it to him. 

“You have to get me first!” Dipper stuck his tongue out. 

With a loud roar, Bill threw himself at Dipper again and again, missing every time while Dipper slapped what felt like every inch of his body. “I’m going to  _ break your fucking limbs off _ !” 

Everything burned. And while it wasn’t close to the worst pain he ever experienced, it was really fucking infuriating. He was drenched in sweat by now so he tore his shirt off, proudly revealing his abs. People whistled and cheered.

“Is that all? Are you done already? Giving up?” Dipper hopped around. “Are we getting exhausted? What are all those muscles for if you can’t even use them, huh?”

Bill grit his teeth. That little shit. He was getting him riled up to prove a point. He knew he wasn’t gonna win this fueled by rage.

Bill took a deep breath. 

Focus. 

He was not going to lose this.

His eyes snapped open. He bolted towards Dipper who dashed to the side like he had expected. Bill shifted his weight, throwing himself to the ground with Dipper stuck beneath him.

“Gotcha.” He pinned Dipper down with his arms above his head, straddling him. The people went wild, mostly roaring, some booing.

It didn’t even feel good. Bill wanted to punch Dipper. Make him pay up for this stupid fucking game in front of an audience.

Dipper was defenseless now. He looked up at him with wide brown eyes, chest rising rapidly. Like prey, knowing what was coming next.

Bill could feel Dipper’s heartbeat beneath him. A rhythmic drumming. Fast. He felt the heat radiating off of his body. They were so close. His anger was gone. Replaced by something entirely different. 

Sweat dripped from Bill’s forehead onto Dipper’s. Was that a…?

Bill reached out to his forehead, his hand barely brushing the brown curls.

Dipper’s breath hitched and he scrambled to get away. Bill let him go, watching him.

Dipper was just about to jump off the ring when he turned around briefly. “T-text me the club we’re going to tonight. I’ll be there.” 

And then he vanished.

Bill stared after him for a minute. 

What the hell had gotten into him?

**▽▽▽**

Bill planned to be productive when he returned to his office. He planned to check Ford’s annoying finances and answer important emails. The only thing he actually managed to do was agreeing to Sahir’s request to meet up tomorrow. 

Then he wanted to have a work-out to blow off steam like he usually would in a mood like this. Instead, he sat behind his desk, staring at the table. 

He saw Dipper. Bill saw him beneath himself, pinned to the ground, drenched in sweat. Looking at him with those pure eyes of chocolate. What was on his forehead? A birthmark?

Dipper’s lips were slightly opened. Would he taste sweet?

Bill shook his head. It wasn't unusual for him to lust after someone. No, quite the contrary. Bill lusted after lots of people and he got plenty on a daily basis. But this was different. This didn't feel like he felt with everyone else. It felt like-

The door slammed open. Mabel hopped with her usual sunshine demeanor. "Good morning, boss! You called?" 

Bill sorted his thoughts, burying Dipper in the back of his mind, and almost stuttered. Almost. "Yes, I did. I need you to grab costumes for me… and a _ friend _ .”

"Oh? You're role playing? I mean, not that I'm judging! That does seem like a Bill thing to do." 

Mabel and Bill had an interesting relationship. She was a shoulder to lean on for pretty much anyone in the company. A friend regardless of how well you knew her and Bill knew her pretty well just as she knew him. He had found her for Stan and Ford years back and hadn’t regretted it. 

"Sadly, it's not like that this time actually,” Bill said.

"Wait… do you have a date!?" Mabel rushed over to him, almost knocking over his chair as she hugged him. She squealed into his ear. "I'm so happy for youuuu! Who's the lucky one?"

Bill didn’t mind her touchiness. Usually. But right now was not the time. He pushed her away. "It's not like that either. You're getting my suit wrinkly."

"Sorry! Sorry!" Mabel hopped away. "When do you need them?"

“They should be ready to be picked up tomorrow.”

"Oh… Hm." Mabel pursed her lips. "Sorry, but  _ I  _ have a date then.”

Bill put on a grin. “Pacifica?”

Mabel smiled. “Yep. We’ve been really hitting it off.”

“Are you gonna tell her that I sent you to spy on her dad?”

Mabel looked down, smile faltering. “Not yet…”

“You’ll be fine. I know she doesn’t agree with her parent’s businesses. If she’d ally with us, that’d be huge.”

“I don’t know… She may not agree with them but she’s afraid they’ll disown her or something…” Mabel cleared her throat. “Anyways. Why don't you go pick up the costumes yourself?"

Bill sighed. Because he didn't want to run into someone who he hadn't seen in almost a decade and who happened to work right next to the tailor. He wasn't ready to face her. He wouldn't ever be ready. But he couldn’t tell that to Mabel. Or anyone for that matter.

"Business meetings, you know how it is. I'm in high demand." Bill stroked through his hair. "But I'll manage."

Had it been anyone else Bill would've made them get the costumes anyways. He didn't care if they had a date or an appointment. But he actually liked Mabel. She'd proven a worthy asset to his company and they almost had a thing once before Mabel fell for that Northwest girl. Hard. Bill had practically been playing wingman since he could easily arrange meetings with Preston. 

Mabel gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you! One day when you do go on a proper date I will back you up like nobody else! The person will have no chance but to fall for you!"

"I'll keep that in mind." Bill smiled. “And don’t you dare back out on me.” 

“I would never!” Mabel finger gunned at him and left. Bill was on his own again. 

He didn't actually think he would ever have a 'proper' date that led to more than a hookup. Most people he mingled with had status and money. While pleasure was definitely something Bill was after, there was usually another motive as well. Without the sex with these people, he would not have the amount of influence or wealth he had now. One could say he had slept his way up. Partially. So it wasn’t unusual for him to feel attracted to somebody. But that kid? Dipper? Really? Getting involved with the angel he was planning to use as a weapon or as a bag of cash could only mean trouble.

It should be fine. His feelings would go away once he slept with the person so that was another option. Always worth a shot.

He would forget about Dipper eventually.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk what to say so I'll just say. Skeet ya yeet.


	10. Alcohol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Lulu9901, Ghosting_Around, PicyKitty, yerianais, DeathLie and winterschizophrenia for commenting on the last chapter!

Dipper had gone too far. What was he thinking!? He started a fight with Bill over nothing. A  _ physical  _ fight. This wasn’t like him at all! What if Bill hated him now? After how Dipper treated him, he wouldn’t even be surprised about it. No, he even  _ deserved _ it.

Dipper’s attention snapped to his beeping fridge. He stood in the middle of the kitchen. He left it open for too long, lost in his thoughts. He shook his head. Right, food. What was he gonna eat for dinner? Didn’t really matter. Dipper closed the fridge, grabbed some cookies and ice cream to go sulk on the couch. He didn’t feel like doing anything but that.

Maybe an apology would help? But somehow that didn’t feel right. Bill wouldn’t do with just an apology. Maybe he would even try to get revenge. Dipper shuddered. He huddled himself into a blanket and opened the lid of the ice cream.

Dipper messed up.

He dug out spoon after spoon of birthday cake and vanilla ice cream. The sweet taste only kept him occupied for so long.

Being at odds with Bill could mean losing his part of the casino. Losing the safe. His chance of finding his family. His sibling. 

He could probably fix things with Bill. He had always had a hand for mending relationships. 

But as if the fight itself hadn’t been bad enough already, there was something much more concerning about it. Scary, even. Dipper swallowed, the sweetness thick in his throat.

Dipper provoked Bill and he got what he asked for. 

That moment when Bill pinned him down. He should’ve felt scared. And he did. He genuinely feared Bill punching his nose or ripping his throat out. But something even worse happened. 

Bill stared at him with this… this feral fascination. Like he had wanted to eat him. He could recall the exact sensation of his wrists above his head, helplessly surrendered under Bill’s weight. Bill’s sharp breath washing over him. The air charged. 

And then Bill touched the curls just over his forehead. Dipper felt his heartbeat picking up just thinking about it. Why?

Ever since then he couldn’t stop thinking about those eyes. Golden like the sun and blue like the ocean. How he had wanted to reach out, touch his jaw and-

Dipper coughed. No. He couldn’t be falling for that guy. Never.

He shoved several cookies into his mouth. The crunching was so loud that he only noticed Aeon when he walked into his field of vision. Dipper stopped chewing. 

Aeon leaned against the wall. “Crushing on someone?”

“Non ow your buwineff.” There was no fire behind Dipper’s words. He wasn’t upset at Aeon and he didn’t want to let out his frustration on him again.

“Well, I hope he will be good for you. I don’t remember the last time you stuffed food into your mouth like that.”

Dipper didn’t answer.

“Alright, I get it. I’ll leave you alone.” Aeon pushed himself from the wall and left Dipper to his thoughts.

When Aeon’s door clicked shut, Dipper let out a long sigh.

Was he actually crushing on Bill?

No, it couldn’t be. 

He was a criminal. The owner of a casino that will ruthlessly rob people of their money and leave them to rot on the streets. Who knew what else he could do besides shocking people with his magic. He bet Bill had a bunch of skeletons in his closet. His apartment was probably colored red with the blood of his enemies. 

Yet, Dipper couldn’t help but feel drawn to him. He wanted to meet up with him again. He wanted to see him. Wanted to be close to him.

Ugh. Dipper rubbed his forehead. What was the point in lying to himself? Maybe he  _ was _ crushing on him. 

He didn’t understand how anyone could crush on someone like Bill. Someone so cruel, reckless, impulsive, brave, handsome and-

Oh.

_ Ooh. _

Maybe this wasn’t so bad. It was just physical attraction. Nothing special. Hormones being hormones. Nothing that wouldn’t leave after a while. The rest of Bill’s personality would probably get rid of Dipper’s feelings soon enough. No, not feelings. This was attraction and nothing more. Chemistry. Bill looked good. He could admit that. And there was nothing wrong with that. His asshole demeanor would eventually drown out the attraction.

Dipper would just have to wait it out.

He jumped when his phone chirped. 

_ Asshole, 7:46PM: Burning Liquors, 20:00 _

What? Was this some sort of code? What was he supposed to do with this?

Dipper was halfway through typing an annoyed reply when it hit him. He slapped his head. It was the bar and the time. He had expected Bill to go without him after what happened. By this point he  _ hoped  _ Bill would’ve gone alone. He was the very last person Dipper wanted to face right now. Ugh.

**▽▽▽**

When Dipper arrived at the bar, he was already set on getting drunk. He was attracted to a criminal, how much worse could it get? 

He didn’t wait for Bill in front of the building. Bill probably wouldn’t wait for him either. Not that Dipper cared. He went inside, the booming music and noise from the crowd drowning out some of his thoughts. He grabbed a bar stool and sat down. 

The bartender looked up, polishing a glass. “What can I get you?”

“Something strong and sweet.”

The bartender nodded and began mixing several liquids together. He poured the bright blue concoction into a fancy glass and slid it over to Dipper.

This was his last chance to back out. 

He took the glass and gulped down the liquid. It burned down his throat, the sweetness followed. Not exactly what he had expected but it worked nonetheless. Matched the name of the bar.

“Dipper? I waited for you outside.” Bill sat down next to him. 

“You’re saying you actually waited for me?” Dipper asked sceptically.

“Yep.”

Great, now Dipper felt rude for not having waited. 

Bill looked at the liquor in front of Dipper. “Rough day, huh?”

Dipper snorted. Did Bill forget what happened earlier? Maybe he got black out drunk right after. Dipper wished he would’ve had that idea earlier. “Kind of.”

“I would love to get wasted as well but I have to handle the people stuff first.”

“Who are you gonna meet?”

“Why? Jealous?” Bill grinned but his expression softened just a hint. “I’m joking. They’re acquaintances who will prove to be incredibly helpful for our little heist.”

Wait… Bill didn’t say anything rude to him yet. Or douchey. Or sexual. Just mildly flirtatious. Was this Bill… trying to be nice to him? No. Dipper only felt like it was because Bill treated him horribly before. He was acting normal. Not nice. Normal.

Bill grabbed Dipper’s glass and swallowed a mouthful. He pulled up his nose. “Ugh! Tastes like fairy barf.”

Dipper grinned. “Yeah, I’ll be more specific the next time I order.”

“I’ll order next time.”

Dipper smiled, a pleasant warmth spreading through him. 

The alcohol was really getting to him.

“You’re staring again. Am I really this distracting?” Bill grinned.

“No! I’m just...” Dipper gave up on trying to find an excuse and sighed.

Bill’s eyes wandered past Dipper to the entrance. A group of fancy looking people just entered. “Those are my guys and gals. You stay here and don’t even think about running- or did you want to come talk to them?”

Had Bill just asked him to participate? And why did that make him feel so… giddy? “No, I’ll wait. I think the alcohol is starting to set in.”

Bill shrugged and vanished in the crowd though he was easy to pick out due to his height. Dipper watched him from a distance. Had he always looked this handsome? He never noticed how angular his face looked. Like it was chiseled out of stone. It was probably the light. Or the alcohol. 

If Bill was actually making attempts to be nice then he might...

Dipper didn’t finish that thought. He chugged the rest of the glass and shuddered. Fairy barf definitely hit it right on the head. He ordered another one. He needed it.

**▽▽▽**

“What’s this about, Cipher?” one of the women asked. They had to talk fairly loud over the music but that also meant it would be very hard for anyone to overhear them.

So far it went fairly smoothly. Bill sifted out all the people who would potentially stand in his way or even tell Gleeful about any of this. “You see, all of this recent change, the ‘trade’ with Gleeful, it hasn’t been what I had hoped.”

They nodded at him. 

“All I’m asking is, if things happen, at the masquerade auction for example, be careful who you hold your guns to. I’m sure you’d rather have me back in charge than some random rich asshole.” Bill grinned. Surely Dipper would’ve laughed at that. 

“We’ll see you around?”

“Of course!”

“Alright. We’ll back you up.”

They exchanged handshakes and parting words and left.

Excellent. Bill walked to the bar. Now he just had to collect Dipper and-

Where  _ was _ Dipper? The barstools were filled but none of them with a head of brown curls. Bill thought the kid would be able to handle himself but apparently not. He wasn’t at the bar so where could he be? Had he left?

Bill headed for the door. An uncomfortable feeling filled his gut. Right as he was about to say bye to the security, he spotted Dipper being dragged out by a group of people through the other entrance. He looked absolutely smashed.

Oh no _. _ They were  _ not  _ going to kidnap his angel.

Bill pushed through the crowd, shoving everyone out of his way. “What do you think you’re doing!?”

Dipper’s eyes snapped to his and lit up. “Oh Billyyy.” He could barely stand, leaning on some other guy who was just a little shorter than Bill. “Why don’t-“ He hiccuped and giggled. “Why don’t you join uuus?”

“No. We’re leaving.”

“Hmmm?” Dipper stumbled over, grabbing Bill’s arm and using him for support. His words slurred together. 

Exactly  _ how  _ drunk had Dipper gotten? Bill was way too sober for this. He could just leave Dipper here and let these people take him. 

Dipper giggled. “Are we going on a date?”

Okay, this was hopeless. “I’m never gonna let you drink again.”

“Why are you so angryy?” Dipper pouted, sneaking an arm around Bill. “I thought you wanted mee.”

This was enough. Bill pushed Dipper away with a growl. He would leave him here. He didn’t care what they did to him. He took a step back, fully planning on leaving without Dipper.

As soon as that other guy pulled him back in and headed for the exit, Bill stopped. Fucking hell. 

“Nope! You’re coming with me!” Bill marched after them, grabbed Dipper’s wrist and dragged him out, away from these people.

“What are you doing??” Dipper attempted to resist but Bill was far too strong. “We were gonna go have fuuun!”

“No, they were gonna bring you to some illegal sex party and you would’ve been raped and hell knows what else.” He pushed Dipper into his car. 

Dipper slouched into the seat, his voice dripping with irony. “Thank you, my knight in shining armor.”

Bill got into the car as well. “Do you have keys to your apartment?”

“Hmmm?”

“...Nevermind. We’re going to my place then.” Bill started the engine and rolled onto the road.

“Ooooh, are  _ we _ gonna have fun?” Dipper perked up, purring. “I bet I’ll look pretty in your bedsheets.” 

Bill was going to push back but then again… He would look pretty in his bedsheets. And it would be so easy right now. It would benefit them both. Dipper would get what he wanted, one hell of an experience, and Bill would get to fuck out his fascination with Dipper and get rid of this attraction.

But what better would he be than those people who had almost dragged Dipper off? He would be just like them. Taking advantage of some poor drunk guy. He didn’t want to be like them.

Bill grabbed a bottle of vodka from the back of the car and shoved it into Dipper’s hands. Not a perfect solution but it would do. “Shut up.”

**▽▽▽**

They arrived at his apartment and Bill brought Dipper straight to the bedroom, half carrying him by this point. Giving him that bottle was a mistake. Instead of making Dipper pass out like he had hoped, it just made him seem more and more like a whiny child. Dipper ooed and awed at pretty much everything on the way. He even stopped and giggled at the framed picture of Jimbo. 

Dipper shut the bedroom door behind them and hugged Bill. He slid his hands over his back and reached for the hem of his pants. Bill held his breath, Dipper’ fingers gliding across his stomach. For a second Bill considered abandoning what little morality he had left and throwing Dipper onto the bed to take him then and there.

Bill hissed, grabbed Dipper’s hands and tugged him over to the king sized bed.

“Oh, you really-” Dipper hiccuped. “Want it, huuhhh?” Dipper purred, crawling onto the bed, flopping over in an attempt to take his shirt off.

“Nope. We’re not doing  _ that _ .” This was ridiculous. Bill was impressed Dipper hadn’t passed out yet. He’d seen bigger people succumb to less. Then again, Bill could drink bottles upon bottles because of his demonic blood. Maybe it was similar for angels.

“You’re not gonn’ join me? Do you want me to put on a…” Dipper stopped like he was looking for the word, then slid his hands down to his own pants and giggled. “A show?” 

“No.” Bill grabbed a pillow, throwing it at Dipper who stretched out his arms to catch it but got hit in the face.

“No...?” Dipper cuddled the pillow, pressing it down to look at Bill. “Okay…”

Did Dipper look… sad? No, he looked wasted.

Bill sat down on the bed, looking at the mirror wall. Dipper shuffled over to him, hugging him haphazardly. The instant they touched, Bill was flooded by a very subtle but comfortable warmth that he wanted to give into. He was a lot more touch starved than he thought. All the stress stole his time. So why not indulge a little now that there was an opportunity…? 

No. Sober Dipper wouldn’t have done this. This was wrong. All of it. “What are you doing?”

“We could... still…” Dipper reached for Bill’s pants. Bill slapped his hand away. Dipper pouted but leaned his head on Bill’s shoulder.

He was so… warm… and small… 

Dipper started to snore. Saliva dripped onto Bill’s suit.

“Ugh, why do I put up with this?” He sighed. “Angelic blood, very rare and profitable.”

Dipper hummed. “Profit… able…”

Bill froze. “Are you… awake?”

Dipper huddled closer. Bill sighed. Bullet dodged. Barely.

Bill laid Dipper down, got up and left the room but he stopped to look back. He looked a bit cold. Should he put a blanket on him?

No, he wasn’t here to babysit him. Dipper was just a bag of cash and magic waiting to be harvested.

Now it was Bill’s turn to drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was this chapter a mess? Yeah.


	11. Penthouse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to PicyKitty, thedogzoo, Poppyemmy, yerianais, Lulu9901, DeathLie and winterschizophrenia for commenting on the previous chapter! Thats so many comments holy shit boi-

The first thing Dipper felt was his throbbing head. The second was the comfortable warmth surrounding him. The third was an unfamiliar smell. 

Dipper opened his eyes to the dark grey blanket he was wrapped in. Dark grey!? This wasn’t his bed! 

He sat up and looked at himself on the other end of the room. “Wha-”

It was only a mirror wall. Jeez, why did he have to be so skittish? Dipper’s eyes wandered through the room. It looked very modern and fancy. Gold, teals and blacks, straight out of an architects magazine. The opposite wall to the mirror was all glass and led to a balcony, letting the morning sun in.

Wait. He didn’t recognize this apartment. Where the heck was he!? What happened yesterday? Did he get wasted?

Dipper got up, groaning at his headache, and stumbled to the door. He definitely got wasted. His hand grasped the handle. 

Didn’t he go to a club yesterday? Yeah, he did. He vaguely remembered the bar. Drinking. Bill being there. Then he got approached by this group of people who made him drink even more… and then…

Oh no. He did not just get taken home by some random stranger, right? This sounded too much like the start of a horror movie for his liking.

Either way, Dipper hadn’t been restrained or anything so whoever owned this place wasn’t trying to keep him hostage. Hopefully. 

Dipper took a deep breath. He opened it to find the living room which had another glass wall leading to the terrace. There was even a pool.

It smelled absolutely delicious in there. Something with cinnamon. He could hear sizzling from where he assumed the kitchen to be. Whoever brought him here better not be some old creepy dude. Though Dipper had an inkling it might be a certain rich asshole instead.

He went towards the noise and past a drawer with a framed picture on it. Was that… Jimbo? He picked up the frame. It was a picture of Jimbo’s face photoshopped onto a donut. He snorted. So it was Bill’s apartment, of course he lived in a penthouse. Dipper wasn’t sure how much better Bill was to a creepy old dude.

And indeed, when Dipper rounded the corner to the kitchen, Bill stood at the stove, stirring around in a pot before getting a pitcher of lemonade out of the fridge. The golden fridge. Embedded with what Dipper could only assume were thousands of diamonds.

“What the actual heck.” Dipper rubbed his forehead. “Is that fridge real or am I still drunk?”

Bill grinned, slapping the fridge proudly. “One of a kind. Was a bit pricey but hey, it does it’s job.”

“A normal one would’ve done the job too.”

“A normal one wouldn’t have gotten you upset about it so I say that’s a job well done.” Bill put the pitcher on the table.

Dipper sighed. He didn’t want to continue thinking about this waste of money especially when his head hurt like he slammed it against a wall for 8 hours straight. “How much did I drink last night? I can’t remember anything.”

“A lot. It’s probably better that you don’t.”

“What do you mean…?” Dipper stared at Bill, then looked down at himself. He was shirtless. Panic washed over him. They didn’t- They couldn’t have- “We… we didn’t like… sleep with each other, right!?”

Bill laughed. “You’re saying it like it would be a bad thing.”

“ _ Bill. _ ”

“Alright, alright. Would you believe me if I said you were all over me and I had to force you off?”

That didn’t sound like himself or Bill at all. But he had been drunk and well… his conflicted feelings about Bill surely didn’t help either. “...Is that what happened?”

“Yes,” Bill said, very self satisfied.

Dipper slumped down on a chair. He would feel ashamed right now if it didn’t sound so implausible. “No. I wouldn’t believe you.” 

“Fair. Lemonade?”

He looked at Bill. “This isn’t gonna kill me, right?”

Bill shrugged, pouring some into Dipper’s glass. “If life gives you venom, you make venomade.”

“Actually, that would be poison.” 

Dipper finally got a good look at the table before him. It decked in porridge with fruit, the eggs and the lemonade. Honestly, this might as well be a buffet at a hotel. “Did you make all of this by yourself?” 

“Yeah, I love cooking!” Bill sat down and dug into the porridge.

Had he made this whole 5 star looking buffet breakfast just for Dipper? Or was this how he ate every day? Either way, if this tasted as good as it looked, he might reconsider his relationship with the guy. He didn’t want to know how long it took to prepare all of this. “I hate to say it but I’m impressed.”

Bill looked up at him as if waiting for Dipper to take that back. When Dipper didn’t, he grinned. “Why thank you, darling! It’s about damn time you recognize my glory.”

Dipper rolled his eyes. “I hope it tastes as good as it looks.” He picked up the spoon and picked up a bit of porridge, making sure to get a bit of all the toppings. He lifted it to his mouth and the smell reminded him of the Sunday morning breakfasts with his family that he never had. 

Oh man- It tasted like a warm, comforting hug. Cinnamon. Melted butter. Berries.  _ Damn this was incredible.  _

Bill sat up proudly, grinning at him.

Dipper didn’t even know how to put his feelings into words. All of his reservations about feeding Bill’s ego flew right out of the window. “You aren’t just good, this is  _ amazing!  _ Did you go to culinary school!?”

“Nope. I went to acting school for a while but I cooked at home all the time.”

Dipper could imagine Bill starting a restaurant chain. Maybe together with Jimbo. “Well, you certainly could be a chef if the whole casino thing doesn’t end up working out.”

Bill snorted. “Right. I’ll consider it if you’ll be the maid.”

“On second thought, maybe stick to the casino thing.”

Dipper gobbled down the last scraps of porridge. He felt weirdly at home and Bill was surprisingly tame. Maybe there was more to him than just the douchebag exterior. “Dang was this good. We could do this more often.”

“You already finished eating?” Bill leaned over to expect his bowl.

“Yeah? I love food. Especially if it’s  _ this _ tasty!”

“Well, I’m glad you like it!” Bill smiled at him. Full on smiled. He wasn’t grinning, nor was he smirking, he looked genuinely happy. A bit dorky to be completely honest. And Dipper couldn’t help but to smile back, his stomach fluttering. 

_ Oh no _ . Maybe this crush really was worse than he had expected. He coughed in hopes that Bill might not notice how hot his face had gotten. “Anyways, um… So the plan. To get the casino back. Are you gonna let me participate?”

“I thought about it and I came to the conclusion that...” Bill hesitated. “That it would be a lot harder to pull off alone. So yes, you can come with me.”

It seemed that the fight with Bill had actually helped. And here Dipper was, thinking Bill might hate him for it. Ironically their relationship had gotten a lot better since.

“But don’t complain to me when you get turned into swiss cheese in the crossfire.”

Dipper swallowed. He would rather not think about that happening. “We should avoid that possibility. I say we get your friends involved and stealth in.”

Bill went silent for a bit. “I don’t want my friends involved.”

“Why not? From what you told me they could be a huge help for us.” More people would give them bigger chances of success. If one of them got caught it would have less of an impact with other people to back them up.

Bill tapped his fingers against the table. He frowned. “I… don’t want them to know about the casino.”

Oh. That was a surprisingly honest sounding answer. “They don’t know?”

“They don’t. And it would be best if they didn’t find out.” Bill looked to the side.

“Why?”

“If other people start finding out, they’ll think I’m weak. They’ll come after me and my friends as well. Been there, done that.” Bill wasn’t grinning for once. Even avoiding eye contact. “They don’t need to know about this.”

Well, Dipper didn’t exactly know much about those kinda things. This wasn’t his place to judge. If Bill said so he’d have to take his word for it. “Okay? So, how do we get in?”

“Shouldn’t be too hard since it's my building. I have all the plans of the security systems.”

“It’s easy peasy then?”

“Not exactly because I also know how damn good they are.” Bill frowned, pausing for a second. “We can’t get in when it’s closed  _ or _ during normal opening hours.”

Dipper quirked a brow. “Aka never?”

“No. There will be one open window,” Bill said. “The auction.”

Dipper opened his mouth to object. It sounded too risky with an event like that.

“It’s a masquerade, I already organized disguises,” Bill said. “In fact, we need to go grab those later.”

This might just be dumb enough to work. With the guards distracted and the guests occupied they could easily sneak in, faces covered with masks. That actually didn’t sound too bad. “You could turn off the electricity and I go to the office?”

“Could work but then  _ you _ have to kill-”

“ _ Intimidate _ .”

“-Bud. And this is going to be very hard without anyone to fend off the guards.”

“We can just tell your friends.”

“No we can’t. Period.”

Dipper sighed. “It would be a lot easier if-”

“What about the vents? There’s an unimportant room with a vent. You’re small enough to get through. And with the electricity turned off, the fans won’t be running so you can climb through the whole building.”

The vents. 

The mental image was enough to make Dipper shudder. Metal boxes forming a tube. A confined space and on top of that completely dark. Dark and lonely. Chills ran over his back. “No. Definitely not. I’m not going in there.”

“What? Why not?”

“Because-” Dipper stopped himself. His fears didn’t matter. He was doing this for his family. He would get Bud out of that casino, get to this damn safe and find them. But that didn’t mean the darkness suddenly didn’t scare him anymore. “Can I have a flashlight at least?”

Bill stared at him for a second and then laughed. “A flashlight? Sure!”

Dipper rolled his eyes. “I bet you also have something really dumb that you’re afraid of like naked cats or something.”

“Not that I know of! I actually like hairless cats.”

“Alright mister fearless. Are we gonna go get more supplies now that we know how we’ll approach this?”

“Yep! We need some costumes, a flashlight and For- a coworker should have communication devices. Oh, and a new contract for Bud, of course. I’ll text Cable to meet up with us later.” Bill started cleaning up the kitchen. 

Dipper didn’t really know what to do so he watched Bill.

“I still don’t understand what your issue with vents is though.” Bill sorted dishes into the dishwasher. “Have your parents forgotten you in a vent when you were younger or something?”

The words felt like a stab to the chest. Dipper looked down. He wouldn't have a breakdown over this now. Not here.

Bill almost looked concerned but that was probably just wishful thinking. “...Right, no parents. I forgot this is the only thing that makes us alike.” 

Dipper snorted, offended. “Alike? We are  _ nothing _ alike. You and I couldn’t be more different.” 

Bill stopped. “Dipper…”

“I-I never had a family. I never met my parents. I never even had the choice.” His vision blurred. He shouldn’t be here. This was all a mistake. “Unlike  _ you _ .” 

**▽▽▽**

The implication hung heavy in the air.

This was the first time in ages that Bill considered telling the truth. Not just any truth but a truth he had concealed for years. A truth he didn’t want to risk giving up. “Dipper listen-” 

The doorbell rang.

Convenient timing. Who would come over this time of day? Jimbo bringing fresh donuts? A one night stand who forgot their underwear? Pizza delivery got the wrong address?

“I’ll be right back.” Bill hurried to the door. Dipper didn’t need to know the truth.

He opened the door. It was Sahir and Diabo. Damn it- What did they want from him and why  _ now _ ? He put on his most convincing smile. “Oh! What are you two doing here? It’s a bit early, don’t you think?”

Diabo pulled up a brow. “You asked us to come here.”

He must’ve forgotten. Was it the other day after he came back from the fight with Dipper? Oh yeah. “I did, didn’t I…?”

This was bad. If they saw Dipper in his kitchen they would never stop teasing him. He could already hear them in his head ‘Bill made him breakfast, he’s going soft. Soon he’ll be adopting orphans and make the casino a playground.’

Dipper walked around the corner. Why didn’t he stay in the kitchen!? Bill blocked the other demon’s views with his body. He waved his hand behind the door. Dipper better have gotten the message.

“What is it? Are you gonna let us in or are we gonna do doorstep gossiping?” Sahir tried to peak around Bill and he did his best not to let him.

Dipper shot Bill a questioning look but went back. 

“Give me a second.” Bill slammed the door shut and rushed into the kitchen. Half whispering, half shouting. “You stay here.  _ Don’t _ make a sound!”

“But why? Sahir and Diabo already know me,” Dipper said in an annoyed tone.

“They do but they will assume that we had sex or even worse, a  _ date _ . They’ll tease the living hell out of both of us.”

“...Fine.” Dipper didn’t look amused. Or flustered. Or annoyed. He looked hurt. 

Bill didn’t have time for this

“Glad you agree.” Bill closed the door to the kitchen and let Sahir and Diabo in. He could only hope Dipper hadn’t lost his shoes somewhere too obvious. 

Sahir squinted at him in amusement. “What was that about? Didn’t clean up after fucking the whole night? Hiding drugs from me? You know I’m an expert at finding drugs.”

“You’re too short for my drug shelf anyways.” Bill motioned towards the couch. “But that’s not why you’re here. Have a seat.”

“Oh, we’re pulling the height card again, aren’t we? I thought you got over that a year ago.” Sahir rolled next to the couch.

Diabo eyed the apartment before he sat. Sharp instincts. Luckily he didn’t seem to find anything suspicious. 

Bill spotted Dipper’s jacket and promptly slid it behind the couch with his foot. It had never been there.

“So, where’s the food?” asked Sahir.

Oh fuck. He couldn’t exactly suck the smell out of the air. “What do you mean?”

“I can smell you made breakfast and it smells really fucking good. So where is it?”

Bill laughed it off. “I can get you some I guess.”

“No guessing, you better get me some right now!”

“Alright, alright.” Bill got up and went to the kitchen, careful to close the door behind him.

Dipper didn’t say anything. He glanced at him for a second before eyeing his half empty cup of lemonade.

“Sahir is being a needy hoe. He demanded breakfast.” Bill scooped some porridge on a plate, a lot less loving than he had done for himself or Dipper. Then he headed for the door. He reached for the handle and-

Sahir grinned at him, then at Dipper. “I knew it. You  _ were  _ fucking the entire night.”

Bill sighed. At least that was better than assuming they were having a date. “Fine you got m-“

Dipper cleared his throat. “We were  _ not  _ fucking. I don’t remember anything but he sounded honest when he told me. Not that that counts for much...”

Great. Dipper was just gonna make this worse for them.

“Bill’s a pretty good liar.” Sahir leaned onto his wheelchair’s armrest like the smug bastard he was. “Hard to tell if he lied to me or you.”

Bill groaned, pushing Sahir out of the kitchen and slamming the door shut behind himself. Dipper didn’t need to be part of this discussion. He glared down at Sahir. “Listen, we did not have sex. We didn’t even sleep in the same bed.”

“Wowow calm down there! No need to get defensive.” Sahir snickered. “Since when have you gotten so gentle, Bill? Sleeping in the guest room? It’s almost like you  _ care _ about him.”

“He was drunk as shit, I couldn’t just leave him behind!”

“Well, you  _ could’ve _ but you chose not to.” Sahir exchanged a glance with Diabo. “We’ve been wondering why you would work with that kid. It’s very unlike you.”

“Believe me, I would not be working with him if I did not have a very good reason.”

Diabo spoke up. “Trust is a luxury around here. We have grounds to be weary.”

“I can’t deny that. Just- don’t question it for now. I’m having some minor issues that I’m working through.”

Sahir wiggled his tiny round eyebrows at him. His face looked very punchable.

Bill rolled his eyes. “No, not like that! I’ll tell you about it another time.”

**▽▽▽**

After a while of talking about the development of their drug which still had way too many side effects to be counted, as well as some new type of weapon Sahir was working on with Ford, he and Diabo had finally decided to stop scrutinizing Bill. Dipper and him left to pick up the costumes they needed for the masquerade shortly after.

Bill didn’t feel like driving like a maniac right now and Dipper stared out of the window the whole ride, not complaining once. It was uncomfortable and Bill considered turning around more than once.

“Bill?”

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”

Bill sighed. “It’s alright. I wasn’t thinking either...”

The block of the tailor came into view and Bill parked on the sidewalk. Bill glanced across the street. It was the parking lot of a bakery. And not just any bakery. ‘Il Pane Dorato’. Someone worked there. Someone who he did not want to see. Someone he did not want to face. He wasn’t ready. He doubted he would ever be.

“Are we getting the costumes, or…?”

Bill rubbed his fingers over the steering wheel. They left behind a thin film of sweat. “Why don’t you get them without me?”

“You love annoying random strangers, what’s so different this time? Is this about what I said earlier?”

“No. You wouldn’t understand.”

Dipper sighed, leaning back. “I pride myself in understanding other people’s issues.”

“Well, I don’t want you to understand mine,” Bill said. “Can’t you just go in alone?”

“Only if you tell me what’s wrong.”

Bill groaned. He unbuckled his seatbelt and got out. Dipper followed him into the store. 

The room was filled with heaps of fabric, scraps of clothing and a rack of finished costumes. Bill walked straight to the only person in the store who was currently busy sewing.

Dipper tapped his arm. “You can talk to me, you know?”

“I don’t  _ want _ to,” Bill snapped before he addressed the employee. “We’re here for an order I placed. Cipher’s the name.”

The person looked at him with wide eyes. “Cipher? O-oh! Yes, of course!” 

They scrambled off their desk and took off the costumes from the rack. “Here you go. I w-would really appreciate a tip since you ordered them on s-such short notice-”

“Yeah, yeah.” Bill leaned over the table, pulled out a couple of banknotes and slapped them on the employee’s chest. They looked mortified. “There you go. Knock yourself out.”

Dipper awed at the costumes. They were both blue, teal and golden suits with subtle hints of white. Dipper’s was bird themed, having patterns that reminded of feathers. Bill chose his to resemble a cheetah. They both glittered like stars reflecting in a teal ocean. 

Dipper stroked over the fabric, mouth hanging open. “Wait- are these tailored for us specifically?”

“Of course! Do you think I’d half ass your first masquerade costume?”

“Are those swarovski? How did you even get my measurements!?” 

Bill laughed. Swarovski? He wasn’t a poor person. “They’re sapphire, darling.”

“Wha- I can’t accept this! How much did this cost!?”

“Trust me, you do not want to know.” Bill grinned. It had been worth the money to get that reaction from Dipper.

Dipper ogled at his suit. “This is way too good for me to wear!”

“Eh, to be fair I considered spending more but-” But he currently didn’t have that much money anymore. 

“Good! This is already way too expensive! I’m gonna be afraid to sit in this!”

“You’re not gonna be sitting a lot so this shouldn’t be a problem.” Ignoring the vent-crawling part of their mission. He’d have to wear something more practical underneath.

The tailor put the costumes into bags and they went outside.

“You should be grateful I didn’t make you wear a dress.” Bill almost regretted not having done that.

“ _ I’m _ the one who should be grateful?” Dipper nudged his side. “You’re the one that would’ve totally fallen for me in a dress like that, ass hat.”

Bill nudged him back. “Watch your step because you’ll be falling for me when I put on my suit!”

Dipper replied something about Bill always wearing suits but Bill was distracted.

A middle-aged woman talked to someone across the street. She had blonde hair and wore a dress that waved in the wind. Her icy blue eyes met Bill.

It was her. 

_ Madre. _

Bill turned away and bolted for the car, leaving Dipper behind. He threw open the door and flung himself inside. 

She probably didn’t recognize him. 

It had been so long and he changed so much. He still had dark brown hair back then. Almost no scars. He had been a boy. Small and scrawny. She couldn’t have recognized him.

“Bill?”

He almost jumped.

Dipper rapped his hand against the car. “Are you gonna let me in?”

Bill sighed and unlocked the car.

“What in the name of everything holy was that?”

“Nothing. Doesn’t matter. I remembered I have something urgent to take care of. Let’s go.” He turned on the engine.

To his surprise, Dipper didn’t ask any other questions. However, he felt the concerned glances burning on his skin. Maybe he would forget about it and leave it be. Unlikely but one could hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW WE GOT 1K HITS LETS GO! Imagine people reading ur fanfic smh smh smh. No but seriously, t h a n k y o u. We still have a faaar way to go so get ready for more!


	12. Demons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to PicyKitty, Lulu9901, winterschizophrenia, Ghosting_Around, Y0UAreAwesome, emillion_addiction and DeathLie for commenting! I love how active you guys are, it really makes my work feel appreciated!

Dipper wanted to know why Bill suddenly just ran off after they got their costumes. He saw Bill make eye contact with that woman across the street. Did he know her? He must’ve. 

She looked at Dipper and seemed… sad. Deeply sad. As if her child had gotten lost. Was she the reason why Bill wanted to stay in the car? 

The woman went back into the shop, maybe she worked there. Bill must’ve known. But who was she? The wrinkles on her face indicated she was a bit too old for Bill to be involved with. Then again, what did he know about who Bill slept with? The guy could be seducing rich old women for money. It didn’t seem completely unlikely.

Regardless, Dipper had followed Bill back to the car. When he told him that nothing was wrong with such an intensity, Dipper was sure that Bill wouldn’t talk to him about it. Dipper’s headache did not want him to get into this right now either so he dropped the topic. He rubbed his forehead. No more alcohol.

Bill glanced at him, driving weirdly slow for his standards. “Are you sure you want me to drop you off at work? You must be terribly hungover.”

Dipper couldn’t imagine anything better than collapsing in his bed and sleeping for ten hours but he had responsibilities. “You’re not wrong but I’ll manage. I’ve been taking less overtime and I wanna make sure the animals are fine.”

“Right. You and your animals.”

“They need me, okay? If you came in and met them you would understand.” The offer wasn’t exactly direct but Dipper would love showing Bill around his workplace. Then again, his headache reminded him this wasn’t the best day.

Bill hummed. “I have stuff to do… but I’ll consider it.”

“Really?” Dipper asked, surprised.

“You’re making it seem like the animal shelter is a place I would dislike.”

“Well, no I was thinking…” His voice faded to nothing as Bill parked at the shelter. Dipper didn’t think Bill wanted to spend a second more than necessary with him. Yet that didn’t seem to be the case.

He opened the door to leave but stopped. “Bill?”

“The one and only.”

Dipper snorted but turned quiet, debating whether he should ask or not. “Would you… come get me from home later?”

Bill watched him for a second and Dipper could practically see the cogs in his head turning.

“It’s just- I’ve been having a rough time with my Ex.” He felt sick at the thought of facing Aeon. He had treated him so badly recently but he needed to apologize. He didn’t want to stay for too long in case Aeon didn’t want him around. “I don’t think being around him the whole day is the best thing so I thought maybe…”

A part of him wanted to spend time with Bill but he didn’t dare to admit that. Especially not in front of Bill himself. And Bill wasn’t someone he should want to spend time with in the first place.

“Sure, honeybun!” Bill grinned. “We’re gonna go get the contract for Bud and settle some other things.”

For a split second Dipper saw something behind the grin. An ingenuity. Not the kind you would expect from someone like Bill. Something subtle. Something unsure.

“You’re staring again.”

“I- Um- Sure.” Dipper slammed the car door closed, face probably a shade or two redder, and walked across the parking lot. Good job. Bill totally wouldn’t figure things out now. Why couldn’t he just act like a normal person? Was this a side effect of hangovers?

He didn’t have time to think about it because he was instantly whisked away by his boss when he entered the building. Except it turned out work wasn’t distracting enough for his thoughts. He kept thinking of how Bill had made him breakfast. Of how he felt so light when the man smiled at him. Of how Bill hurt him. Of how terrible he was. 

Bill didn’t have to save him from Bud’s guards. He didn’t have to take him home and make sure he was fine after getting drunk. He didn’t have to make him breakfast or buy him a fancy costume. But Bill had done it. He couldn’t actually care for Dipper, right? 

But what did Dipper just see hiding behind that broad grin? What was Bill hiding?

“Grenda is sick.” Dipper’s boss handed him a long list of tasks. Longer than what he had time for, even longer than it usually was. “If I could, I would pay you a lot more. I’m not sure why you haven’t left for a better job yet but I’m glad.”

Dipper smiled a little. “I’m working here because I have-” He stopped. What was that Bill said after he pushed Sahir out of the kitchen?  _ ‘Believe me, I would not be working with him if I did not have a very good reason.’ _

“Dipper?” His boss looked worried. 

“Oh- Sorry. I’m just… nevermind. I’ll get to work.”

She squinted at him. “...Right. If you’re not feeling well I can call Candy.”

“No! It’s fine, I’ll manage!” Dipper scurried off to his first task, sorting the food storage. He needed a quiet place to think. He closed the door behind him and picked up a heavy sack of dry food.

Maybe Dipper was being manipulated. Bill seemed like one to play chess with feelings. Did he have an ulterior motive? Was this all just for show?

It hurt. Just when he thought he could trust Bill, he revealed more secrets. Why him? 

“Ah-” Dipper bumped into one of the shelves, almost dropping the sack. He would think about this later. He had to concentrate or he’d end up buried in animal food.

**▽▽▽**

The door of his apartment opened with a distinct ‘click’. Dipper entered and shut the door gently. Aeon sat on the couch, dog in his arm. 

To Dipper’s surprise, he didn’t say anything so Dipper spoke first. “Are… you not gonna ask where I was all night?”

Aeon turned to him. He didn’t exactly look happy but he also didn’t look sad. Perhaps a tad melancholic. “You told me multiple times that you don’t want to talk about it. It’s none of my business so I’m staying out of it.”

Dipper’s chest stung, yet bloomed at the same time. Aeon had meant well and what had he done? Yelled and given him the cold shoulder. He could see why Aeon ended their relationship. He was a big mess.

Dipper walked over to the couch and before he started second guessing himself, he gave Aeon a big hug. Aeon wound his arms around Dipper and rubbed his back. 

“I’m sorry, Aeon. For- for what I said and how I acted. I was stressed and dumb. I’m sorry.”

“I know, I know. It’s alright.”

Dipper laughed, tears stung in his eyes. “Y-you don’t know-” He sniffed. “What I have gotten myself into. It’s very complicated.”

“I can try to help you.” Aeon offered.

Dipper wished that Aeon could help him but this was too complicated. Dangerous. Confusing. It wasn’t just about the casino now. Or about his family. It was also about Bill and how he felt for him. “N-no. I have to handle this myself. I don’t want to pull you into this.”

Aeon nodded. “Be careful then.”

“I will.” Dipper sniffed and wiped his tears away. 

**▽▽▽**

It was in the afternoon when Bill drove over to Dipper’s apartment. He was excited to find out what it looked like. Furniture and decoration could say a lot about a person.

The building itself was very rustic but it had a friendly atmosphere to it. Bill rang the doorbell and it didn’t take long for Dipper to open the door.

“Oh! You’re a bit early. Come in.”

“I am?” Bill gladly took the invitation. The apartment was actually bigger than he expected since the housing here was expensive. The amount of plants in the living room and kitchen made him smile. Seemed like Dipper. Then the smell of baked goods hit his nose. “Did you bake?”

“Yeah! I always prepare something for reading time.” Dipper glanced at the lanky man with shoulder long hair who sat on the couch, eating cookies. 

Something lit up in Bill’s brain but he wasn’t quite sure what. All he knew was that he didn’t like that guy. He looked suspicious. “Your ex?”

Dipper nodded. “Yep, that’s-”

A dog came running up to him, wagging her tail. Bill bent down and scratched her head gently since his long nails could easily hurt her. “And a good girl! You never told me you had a dog!”

“...My ex and Per, yes. Wait here, I’ll be right back.” Dipper vanished into his room, the dog going with him.

Aeon stood up. He was actually taller than Bill. A true rarity. Bill bet he could easily carry that man regardless, based on how skinny he was. 

Wait. Did he know him?

“The name is Bill.”

“I’m Aeon, nice to meet you.”

“Pleasure’s on my side.” Bill held out his hand but Aeon didn’t move. So he was that kinda guy, huh?

“If you’re holding out your hand... I’m blind so I can’t actually see where it is.”

Well, nevermind. He was just a blind man. His eyes were open but unfocused. “Oh, of course.”

An awkward silence fell over them. Aeon sat back down and resumed the cookie crunching. Bill squinted at him. Why would Dipper date a man like  _ that _ ? Messy hair, taller than a skyscraper and thinner than spaghetti. Maybe he was a comedian or something. “Why did you two break up?”

Aeon shifted, crossing his arms. “He prioritized work over our relationship. And not just once, it happened a lot. But we’re good now.”

Bill tapped his foot on the ground. “Are you planning to get back together?”

“Why would you care?”

He shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I? I’m just curious.”

“I would be willing to start over if he works on himself.”

“I see...”

That’s when it hit Bill. He  _ had _ seen Aeon before, talking to Stan and Ford. It was years back and Bill didn’t exactly understand why he was talking to them. He only remembered that Aeon asked questions about the Stan’s great nephew. At the time they hadn’t even known they had a nephew, they only knew of their niece who had vanished.

This smelled  _ really _ suspicious. Was that man dangerous? He hadn’t harmed Dipper apparently but maybe he would soon enough. What was his plan? Bill glanced at the door to Dipper’s room. Hopefully he still had some time. “Tell me, who are you really? Are you working for someone? Is it Gideon? Did he pay you to kidnap Dipper? The Blind Eye maybe?”

Aeon froze. “I- what?”

Bill frowned. “Don’t play dumb with me, we’ve seen each other before.”

“I’m not- Don’t tell Dipper! I’m not trying to harm him, I was paid to protect him!”

“And that’s why you dated him? For the money? Who paid you?” Bill stood up, He could feel his blood starting to boil. This man had called himself Dipper’s boyfriend.

“No! That’s not it at all! It started when-”

Dipper interrupted them, he must’ve heard the tone of their conversation. “Had fun?”

Bill pulled his brows up. “Hardly.”

“Wow, no need to be overjoyed.” Dipper sighed. “Come on Bill, let’s go.”

Once Dipper had left, Bill turned to Aeon one last time and whispered, “I’ll keep an eye on you.”

He closed the door behind him. Dipper looked at him expectantly. 

“Is something wrong, sugar cookie?” Bill asked innocently.

“...Sugar cookie?” Dipper squinted at him. “Bill, what were you talking about with Aeon?”

“We-”

“Bill, we broke up and I think it’s better for the both of us. We will stay friends though.”

Bill laughed. “You think I’m jealous of that twink?”

Never in a million years would he be jealous because of a stick like that. He also had no reason to be jealous. At all. None. Null. Dipper wasn’t a romantic interest. He looked and acted cute, that was all. Nothing to be jealous over.

“No but you saying that makes it sound more plausible than I’d like it to be. And I’m not deaf. I heard how you talked to him.” 

Right. They had been a bit noisy. “...What did you hear?”

“Not much. Actually, nevermind. Let’s just forget this.”

“Agreed.”

**▽▽▽**

After a short discussion about where they should be going, they decided on Bill’s apartment. It wasn’t ideal because apparently the AC had broken and his penthouse had practically turned into an oven, but that’s what pools were for. 

Dipper got into the water while Bill went to get some drinks. He joined Dipper and handed him his cocktail. Hopefully alcohol free like he requested. “So, what’s the real reason you wanted to come with me?”

Dipper’s heart skipped. “I told you the real reason!”

“I’m the master at telling partial truths so don’t try to fool me.”

“I don’t know it’s just…” Dipper sighed, staring into the water. There was no way around this, was there? “You’ve been acting… kind of nice lately? And I’ve been wondering why.”

Bill didn’t answer for a second. “I guess I’m starting to like you. You’re interesting. A refreshment from the people I’m used to.”

“Oh… That does make sense, I guess. You must be tired of hanging around all of these crazy copies of you.” Dipper smiled before he remembered a question he’d been burning to ask for a while now. “Speaking of. What  _ are _ you guys? You keep talking about humans like they’re some alien race to you.”

“I’ll tell you but it will sound as absurd as when I told you about magic.”

Dipper nodded. The first time he had been completely unprepared but since Bill actually told the truth, he would not dismiss whatever he said now.

“We’re demons.”

Okay, maybe he would dismiss that.

“Demons?” Dipper asked. “Like the red things with the horns and the wings?”

Bill gasped in faked offense. “At least be a bit more creative than that!”

Dipper chuckled. “Okay, okay. Tell me more, Mister Demon Sir.”

Bill cleared his throat, putting on a narrator voice. “Once upon a time, the earth was a place ruled by two forces. The dark and the light. Demons and-”

“Angels. Yeah, I get that. Skip forward to the interesting part please.”

“Excuse you, the story of my great great great greatgreatgreat _ great  _ grandmother is  _ very  _ interesting!” Bill grinned. “Basically, both demons and angels fought a war. Neither won. Not many survived. Those who did were humans and the offspring of demons or angels with humans.”

“How rare are you then?”

“Depends what you mean. Demons aren’t rare at all, they had a great ol’ time fucking the next best human they found. Most people on the street have a bit of demon in them. Angels are another thing. Pretty rare nowadays.”

“So how come magic isn’t more common?”

“Because not everyone who has demonic or angelic blood can use it. It’s been such a long time that bloodlines became diluted. Nobody really knows how it works. Some people have powers, some don’t.”

Dipper nodded. That actually made a lot of sense. Even if it was a bit much.

Bill perked up. “Alright! It’s my turn now!”

“Huh? Your turn with what?”

“Asking questions!”

“I’m not that interesting but sure, go ahead.”

“How did Aeon and you meet?”

Dipper raised an eyebrow. That was a substantially less big question than Dipper had thought of. He didn’t think Bill cared. “Why are you so invested in my relationships?”

“I’m just curious!” Bill grinned.

This wasn’t exactly what Dipper wanted to be talking about but oh well. Bill just told him about demons and angels so he couldn’t really refuse.

“Aeon came into my life when I was in a very dark place… I had financial trouble, and was looking for a new apartment before I got thrown out. He offered me a place to stay and he seemed like a nice guy so I agreed. Well, we became close friends and I suggested a relationship.” In hindsight Dipper thought they should’ve just stayed friends, Aeon was never much for affection beyond anything platonic. “Sorry for rambling.”

“You’re into men then?”

“Now you really sound like you’re interested,” Dipper joked.

Bill winked. “Maybe I am. So?” 

“So nothing.” Dipper looked away. “I am gay. I knew really early on.” 

“An early bloomer?”

Dipper sighed as old memories came up. None were pleasant. “I told one of the kids at my orphanage and the next day everybody knew.”

“That’s not very nice of them.”

“Says who?” Dipper smiled a bit. “The criminal asshole?”

Bill chuckled. “Well, okay you have a point. But I wouldn’t tell anyone about your sexuality without your consent.”

“Nice to know that there’s at least a little bit of decency in you,” Dipper said sarcastically.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“What about you? I’m pretty sure you’re not straight either.” Dipper recalled all of the weird nicknames Bill used for him and the way he constantly seemed to be flirting with him.

“Hah! Hell no.” Bill took a sip from his drink. “I don’t like putting labels on myself. I am who I am, the most handsome man alive! But if you were to put a gun to my head, I’d say pansexual would fit.”

Good to know. “Any fun coming out stories?”

The energy shifted. Dipper bit his lip when Bill didn’t answer. Maybe he shouldn’t have asked. “Is this about your parents?” 

“It is.”

Dipper swallowed. He saw Bill in his office. Looking down at him. ‘I killed them.’ 

This might not be the best idea but Dipper needed to know. “Did… did you actually… kill them?”

Bill hesitated, putting his drink to the side. “No. I didn’t.”

Dipper thanked the stars. He felt incredibly relieved.

“I never really had to come out,” Bill continued. “My parents- my  _ moms _ \- always let me know that they would support me no matter what. So I didn’t feel the need to tell them.”

Moms, huh? That meant Bill was adopted as well. “So you were an orphan too?”

“Not for long. They adopted me when I was really young. I can’t remember anything before them.”

“So… What happened? With them, I mean.”

Bill frowned.

Dipper overstepped the boundaries again. “Sorry, this is really none of my business. I’m asking too much.”

“Yeah.” Bill stood up and stepped out of the pool. 

Dipper felt bad for asking about Bill’s parents when it was something he clearly didn’t like talking about. However, knowing that he  _ didn’t _ kill his parents was a huge relief to him. The mental image of small Bill with his two moms together sounded incredibly cute but what had happened to them? Did they get killed? Did they die in an accident? Were they still alive? Maybe they had an argument.

A ‘ping’ interrupted Dipper’s thoughts. 

Bill grabbed his phone. “It’s Cable. He says he’s ready to write the contract for us. He’s waiting in the Mindscape building.”

**▽▽▽**

Bill drove them over and they entered Cable’s office which was filled with all kinds of new tech, computer parts, wires and tools. So filled that Bill had to unstack and stack a couple of boxes in order to get himself and Dipper chairs to sit on. 

He gave them the new contract for Bud and then sat back, looking at Bill expectantly. 

Dipper also looked at Bill. “Did you get us chairs to sit down for two seconds? Are we done?”

“Not exactly. The other reason we came here is to settle the ownership of the casino on paper,” Bill explained. Bureaucracy sucked but they had to get this on paper or else it would kick their asses later on. Been there, done that. “Technically, it’s mine.”

Dipper’s face dropped. “Bill, I thought we were over thi-”

Bill lifted a finger. “ _ But _ you do have shares and I recognize that. So what do you want?”

Dipper blinked as if he was expecting a punchline. He shook off his surprise after a second. “I want access to the safe to get whatever Shermie wanted me to have. I don’t actually want anything to do with the whole gambling aspect, so I’ll leave that to you.”

That was all? “Oh? Well, I expected more on your end but I obviously won’t refuse this deal either.”

They wrote out the contract with Cable and signed. Dipper and Bill got up to leave. Just as he was about to grab the door handle, it opened. 

Bill’s heart almost stopped. Stan, Ford and Mabel walked in. 

This wasn’t good. They weren’t supposed to meet Dipper. He would have liked to prevent this until later on. Correction; he would've liked to prevent this completely. He did not need Stan, Ford and least of all Mabel to interfere with his plans.

“What are you guys doing here?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually don't even know what to say at the end notes anymore bc I'm editing two chapters ahead so I'm already further along in the story F
> 
> I'm curious if you guys have any fic recommendations. Books as well, actually. I'm feeling the need to read more since I'm trying to come up with an original story atm.


	13. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to thedogzoo, Lulu990, PicyKitty, winterschizophrenia, Ghosting_Around, something_poison, DeathLie and BillCipherTriangle for commenting! Thanks to everyone reading and leaving kudos! Appreciate ya.

Dipper was slightly confused when Bill froze in place as two older men who looked very similar and a brown haired girl in a flower sweater walked into the conference room. Dipper felt like he saw her before but couldn’t remember when or where.

“What are you guys doing here?” Bill asked. He sounded weirdly perplexed.

“I’m certain you told us to be here at seven,” said the man in a lab coat. He looked at the girl, then at Dipper. “Who is this young man?”

Bill hesitated for a second, as if unsure what to answer. 

Who were these people and why were they making the asshole rich guy nervous?

Bill grinned and threw his arms up. “This is your great nephew! Mason Pines! Surprise!”

Time froze. Dipper felt like his brain shut down. No way.  _ No way. _

“YOU FOUND MY TWIN!?” The girl jumped before she sprinted over to Dipper and squeezed him. “OH MY GOD OHMYGODOHMYGOD!”

He gasped, panicking for a moment before his brain really caught up. This was his sister. His  _ twin _ sister! This was his family! Right there hugging him! Dipper smiled. He had found her.  _ Bill _ had found her. “Y-you- you’re my sister? My  _ twin!? _ ”

“She is. In flesh and blood,” said Bill. “You should probably introduce yourself, Shooting Star.”

The girl squealed right into his ear, backing off just a bit to look him in the eye. “My name is Mabel! Nice to meet you, Mason!”

The initial giddiness slowly faded and he realized that he had a girl he didn’t even know right up his face which felt fairly awkward to him. Dipper didn’t want to ruin the moment so he stayed complacent. “Oh um- My friends just call me Dipper. Nice to meet you too.”

“Grunkle Stan! Grunkle Ford!” she yelled with a bright smile. She was probably the most energetic person Dipper knew. “What are you waiting for!? Get in here!”

The two men hesitantly joined their hug and while Dipper wanted to feel happy, it was honestly just very uncomfortable for someone who wasn’t used to hugs.

“I can’t believe we finally found you, kiddo. I’m Stan, by the way. And that smartass is Ford. We’re your great uncles.”

“Yes- nice to meet you as well.” Dipper tried concealing his discomfort as best as he could. This was supposed to be the best moment of his life, not awkward. He should be ecstatic.

“Alright, that’s enough hugging. Dipper doesn’t look like he’s enjoying this very much. He doesn’t know us or our group hugs,” said Ford before letting them go. “Yet.”

“Aw…” Mabel pouted.

Stan let go as well, grabbing her shoulder. “Why don’t we go to a cafe to catch up, sweetie?”

Mabel’s face lit up again and Dipper was almost jealous of how easily Mabel adapted positive energy so quickly. She didn’t seem bothered at all by the fact that they didn’t know each other and Dipper would like to feel the way she seemed to feel. “Yes! Great idea!”

Meanwhile Bill, the only person in this room he halfway knew, was almost halfway out of the door, leaving Dipper feeling even more out of comfort. “I’ll leave you guys be.”

“No! You’re coming with us!” shouted Mabel.

Dipper sighed internally. He would’ve been fine on his own but he would be lying if he said he didn’t want Bill to come with them.

**▽▽▽**

They all got into Ford’s car, the older twins in the front and Dipper squished between Mabel and Bill. 

Mabel directed him to her favorite bakery. Dipper had a hunch where they were going. He knew these surroundings. He’d been here before. And not just once. They were headed to the donut shop. “Don’t tell me you guys  _ also _ know Jimbo.”

“Of course we do! I go there during my lunch breaks!” Mabel jumped up and down on her seat. “Jimbo makes the best donuts!”

Dipper smiled. “Seriously!? I swear, Jimbo knows every single person in this town!”

“Yeah, pretty much. You’d be surprised,” Bill said.

They arrived and got a table towards the back of the store. Dipper sat down on the chair, hoping Bill would sit down next to him while Mabel, Stan and Ford sat down on the couch. However, Bill idled around the shop. Dipper might as well engage in conversation.

“So um… What have you guys been up to?” Damn Dipper. Great question.

“We all work for Bill,” said Ford. He paused, glancing to Bill as if to make sure he was out of reach. “I take care of most of the paperwork that he feels too good for and am in charge of the finances when Bill isn’t being a baby.”

It looked like it wasn’t just him that found Bill to be very taxing most of the time. “You’re not on good terms then?”

“Eh... Ford is just a little annoyed at him. He loves crunching numbers. Makes him feel superior.” Stan punched Ford’s shoulder.

“And what do you do?” Dipper asked. 

“I manage the casino. Or well,  _ used _ to. Now I’m kind of jobless.”

“Oh… I’m sorry.” Dipper hadn’t even thought of the people working at the casino. Had they all been fired? Lost their jobs? Been replaced?

“It’s alright. Got enough money to sit on. Plus, I left on my own terms. Bud would’ve kept me there but I didn’t wanna be working for that asshole.”

“Speaking of, I feel like we’ve seen each other before.” Mabel squinted at Dipper. “Wasn’t it on the day Bill gambled the casino away?”

Dipper rubbed his head, the day being one of the ones he would rather not think about. “Ugh, don’t even remind me of that. But yes, I had the same feeling.”

Then it hit him. “Wait! Weren't you the girl at the reception?”

Mabel gasped. “You’re right! I was there that day to keep an eye out because of the Gleefuls!”

“So you don’t regularly work there?”

Mabel smiled. “No, not exactly.”

Dipper was about to ask what she did for work but their conversation stopped momentarily when Jimbo came over with a notepad. He looked at them. Blinked. Looked at Mabel. Then at Dipper. “Oh… I didn’t expect to be part of a reunion today but I’m glad!”

Of course Jimbo already knew them. He wasn’t even surprised at this point. “I can’t believe you knew these three this whole time. Who  _ else  _ do you know?” Dipper asked jokingly.

“I can’t tell you but you will find out.” Jimbo winked. “Alright, what do you guys wanna eat?”

Mabel slapped her hands on the table. “I’ll take double chocolate pancake donuts with extra maple sauce and  _ all  _ the sprinkles you have! Especially the butterfly ones! They’re so cute! Oh! And bubble tea with honey!”

“You’re going to die from sugar overdose one of these days, Mabel,” said Ford with a smile. 

“I die like I lived!” 

Good to know his sibling was a worse sugar addict than he was.

Stan squinted at the menu. “I’ll take… a beer.”

Dipper ordered a birthday cake donut and hot chocolate. Ford didn’t get anything. 

When Jimbo disappeared to get their orders, Mabel leaned over to Dipper. “Hey, do you wanna hear the story of how I met Bill?”

“Um… Sure?”

“Well, it’s not much of a story but one day I bumped into Bill at a party and I spilled my drink onto his suit. Do you know how expensive those things are? I didn’t but I found out. I was terrified he was gonna make me pay but then he started complimenting me like a gentleman. It was really charming to be honest.”

Dipper rolled his eyes. Imagining his sister with Bill made him very uncomfortable for some reason. “As charming as a dead plant, I’m sure.”

“It was cute, okay? I wasn’t really into him though and then Pacifica stole my heart but that’s another story. Anyways, he figured out I was Stan and Ford’s grand niece and he introduced us! Best day of my life!”

Stan snorted. “You say that about every second day.”

“It changes!” Mabel’s gaze went past Dipper. “Look, our order is here!” 

Jimbo put down their plates and cups. Stan and Ford talked about some business related stuff that Dipper didn’t really care about while Mabel and him ate.

She downed the rest of her bubble tea before her attention snapped back to Dipper. “You know what I wanna know? How did  _ you  _ meet Bill?”

“Oh.” Dipper scratched his head. “It’s a bit complicated.” 

As if on cue, Bill came around the corner, amused. “This guy waltzed into the casino and waved a funny paper into my face and then single handedly made me lose the whole place to Bud. Talk about first impressions.” He sat down next to Dipper.

“Another troublemaker. He’s coming after me,” Stan said approvingly.

“It wasn’t a ‘funny paper’, ” Dipper said to Bill. “It was legal documents from Shermie stating I owned part of the casino, specifically something in a safe.”

“So you got the inheritance...” Ford furrowed his brows. “In a safe? How would Shermie know what’s in our safe?”

“I asked myself that as well. And why would he want Dipper to have it?” Bill rubbed his chin.

“Have what?” Dipper looked at Ford, then at Bill. “What’s in the safe?”

“Nothing for you to worry about right now.” Bill stole a piece of Dipper’s donut to which Dipper halfheartedly called him an asshole. “It might already be gone when we get the casino back. I know Gideon wanted them for some of his- projects.”

Mabel smirked at Bill and him. “So, you guys are  _ friends?” _

Bill grinned, throwing his arm around Dipper. “The  _ best _ of friends.”

Dipper’s heart jumped into his throat and he coughed. “We’re- barely friends. I still think you’re an ass.” He carefully removed Bill’s arm from his shoulders.

“Sure you do.”

Mabel nodded, still smirking while Ford lifted a brow at them. Great. His sister and great uncle who hadn’t even known him for a day assumed they were dating. Dipper sighed. Luckily, Mabel seemed to get the jist and changed topics.

“Guys, can we take a moment to appreciate that we’re all together now?” Mabel squealed. “I’m so happy! I finally have a brother to annoy and share cheesy love stories with!”

“Yeah. I still can’t believe Bill brought us together.” Dipper couldn’t help but smile at Bill. He didn’t seem to be sharing his enthusiasm. It was very subtle but his grin looked… off. Again. Maybe Dipper was just imagining things. Bill had treated him well recently, there was no reason for Dipper to look for excuses to distrust him anymore. Right?

“It took me a bit to figure out but the resemblance was uncanny.” Bill glanced outside. 

“I’m assuming there’s another reason you wanted us together?” asked Ford. So Dipper wasn't the only one who noticed. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

“Well, you all know the casino is… in Gleeful’s hands now. And he wants to auction it off. So, we need to get it back before that happens.”

Huh. Smart thinking. Stan, Ford and Mabel could help them out. And they certainly wouldn’t want to ruin Bill’s reputation so they were a safe source of help from what Bill had explained to him.

“And how do you reckon we do this?” Ford asked.

Bill explained the part of the plan he had already discussed with Dipper. Sneak in. Disable the electricity. Have Dipper climb through the vents. “And you three could help distract the guards.”

“Wait? During the masquerade?” Mabel pursed her lips. “Sorry, but I’m actually invited on Pacifica’s behalf. I can help out in case of an emergency.”

Mabel mentioned that girl twice now and her name seemed familiar but Dipper didn’t quite know where to place it. “Pacifica?”

“Right, you don’t know! Pacifica Northwest. She’s my girlfriend,” Mabel said with that cute expression only someone who had a crush could wear. 

Pacifica Northwest. Okay, he definitely heard that name before. Northwest. Wait. “ _ The _ Northwest? Isn’t she a model or something?”

“Yup! And she’s all mine!”

After Mabel was done with her detour, they discussed what equipment they would need and while it sounded very interesting, Dipper didn’t really have much to add. By the time they were done, it was already dark outside. Jimbo had been nice enough to not throw them out.

Mabel slapped the table. The sheer amount of energy she had was astounding. Dipper’s eyelids we’re already starting to droop. All the sugar probably wasn’t helping. Did Mabel ever even have to sleep? “Whohoo! Let's get back to family talk! We  _ have  _ to go eat dinner together!”

Bill pushed his chair back and sprung up. “Well, looks like it’s time for me to leave!”

Dipper chuckled tiredly. “Sorry, Mabel but I’m kind of worn out. We can meet tomorrow.”

“Aw…” She pouted for a second before returning to her hundred lumen smile. “Sure thing, Dip Dop!”

Dip Dop. That sounded cute. He liked it.

“I can bring you home,” Bill offered.

Dipper gladly took the offer and ended up falling asleep on the way. He woke up the next morning tucked into his bed with a smile. Things were going pretty great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FHSKHFDF I forgot to update on the weekend bc I'm a himbo. Look at me being the least thicc log ThiccLog can be. Smh. But yeah, have this. Next chapter will be the calm before the storm so buckle up.


	14. Blue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bunch of thanks to Ghosting_Around, DeathLie, xx_hxneybee_xx, winterschizophrenia and PicyKitty for commenting. Appreciate you all!

It was the afternoon before the day of the masquerade. Bill worked tirelessly with Stan and Ford to make their plan run smoother for about a week and he was confident that they would succeed. He did not want to consider what would happen if they didn’t.

Dipper had asked for Bill to pick him up again to distract him since the poor boy hadn’t even been able to sleep at night. Apparently, he spent the majority of the week with Mabel to calm his nerves. Of course, Bill was more than happy to come get him. Since he had another thing to take care of, he showed up at Dipper’s apartment early.

Aeon opened the door. Perfect.

“Hello there, Dipper’s ex,” Bill said in a dry tone.

“Dipper isn’t here yet. He’s gonna get off work in about-”

“I know, I know.” Bill invited himself into the apartment, strolling through the livingroom and taking a seat in the arm chair.

“What do you want?” Aeon sat down on the couch, opposite to Bill. His dog slept next to him. 

“I told you we weren’t done yet. Why were you after Dipper?”

Aeon was silent for a bit. “Shermie sent me after him. To protect him from people like you. I didn’t pay good enough attention so you found him anyways.”

“Like me? Handsome and wicked in bed?” Bill grinned.

Aeon didn’t react much. Tough crowd. “Demons with bad intentions. Mad men with dollar signs for eyes,” he deadpanned.

“Demons as in bad people?” Bill asked innocently. Had he been spying on him or something? How could he know? And how much did he know? 

“You know what kind of demons I mean. The real ones. Like you.”

Bill crossed his arms. This was getting interesting. “How do you know about that? Are you a demon? An angel?”

Aeon hesitated. “I’m both. My power is being able to locate other powers and to amplify or block them.” 

A living amplifier. Incredibly rare nowadays. Bill knew telling him this could be detrimental to Aeon. He was showing trustworthiness. Aeon really cared for Dipper. The question was if Aeon knew what Bill planned to do with him. “Dipper and I are in a professional relationship. He chose to help me out and I’m letting him.”

Aeon looked at him. Not with his eyes but Bill could feel it. Energy testing his. Bill swallowed.

“Keep him safe.”

Then the front door unlocked.

**▽▽▽**

Dipper was pleasantly surprised to find Bill already being there when he came home. He put down his backpack and took off his shoes. “I hope you didn’t wait for too long. I tried to keep on time as best as possible.”

“What can I say, I couldn’t wait to see you,” Bill purred.

Dipper snorted, half heartedly rolling his eyes before vanishing in his room. He got changed since he was always covered in animal hairs after work. Then they drove over to Bill’s place.

“What are we gonna do?” Dipper threw himself onto Bill’s couch. It was so big and comfortable, he could easily take a nap on the spot.

“I got us some hair dye!” Bill sang on his way to the bathroom.

Dipper shot up. “Hair dye!? What color?”

A hand popped out of the doorframe, holding a dark bottle. “Sapphire blue!”   
“You want to dye my hair blue!?” He couldn’t imagine himself with blue hair. He’d look like a smurf.

Bill walked back to Dipper. “No, not all of your hair. Maybe a strand or two. I found my ombre has become pretty boring, so I wanted to spice it up a little. It’ll also fit with the costumes and if we die, we’ll be the most fashionable corpses ever.”

Honestly, this seemed like a cliche thing couples would do. “I still don’t really get why though.” 

“I figured since we’ve been working together it would be a fun thing to do.”

Dipper smiled. “Is this you admitting you like me?”

“Hah! Kid, I’ve liked you for a while. You’re interesting.”

“Really?” Dipper’s heart skipped. Liking didn’t mean like liking. But it was a lot better than not liking at all. He bit his lip. “What’s so special about me?”

“You’re not dumb for one. And for some reason you want to help me despite the risks. That’s very noble of you.” Bill looked like he wanted to go on but stopped, watching Dipper.

Dipper felt his smile growing. “You’re not all that bad either.”

“Oh, that’s all the appreciation I get?” Bill asked in fake offense.

“To be fair, you’ve been an asshole for a while. You gotta earn your friendship points.” Dipper considered his words right after they left his mouth. Friendship. 

“Look, I don’t drive slow for just anyone, okay?” Bill popped the bottle of hair dye open. “Now, are you down or do I have to restrain you?”

“Ass.” Dipper smiled. Either way, he was down for a change. “Alright, let’s do it.”

Bill set up a chair that ‘wasn’t too expensive’, squeezed liquids out of several tubs and mixed them together. 

Dipper took a seat on the chair. “Wait- do you even know how to dye hair?”

“Yeah. I’ve done it before,” Bill said confidently. “Once. Years ago.”

“I’ll sue you if you make me go bald.” At least they’d be in it together if Bill fucked up.

Bill cackled. “I’ll just bail myself out of jail. You can’t win here.”

“Didn’t you gamble away your income?”

“By the time you go bald I’ll have my casino back.” Bill dipped the brush into the bleach. “Ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Bill picked out a strand of hair and applied the bleach. Dipper was worried that his nails were gonna pull on his hair but that wasn’t the case at all. Quite the opposite, it felt good. Dipper closed his eyes, letting Bill take care of his hair. 

“You seem weirdly into this.”

Dipper was about to shoot something in his defense but then he stopped. Honestly? He was into this. And he didn’t mind it too much anymore. Dipper liked this feeling. He liked Bill’s fingers in his hair. He liked Bill himself. Against all reason.

“Earth to Dipper!”

He flinched. 

“I almost thought you were gonna doze off or something.”

Dipper laughed. “I  _ was _ before you screamed into my ear!” 

“It’s your turn.” Bill handed him the bleach. “And don’t fuck it up or I’ll tell Mabel you slept in my bed. She’ll have a field trip with that.”

Dipper smacked Bill's arm playfully. He could effortlessly imagine her teasing him about it. Wanting to get the nonexistent details. “Don’t you dare!”

“What was that? I felt a tickle,” Bill teased.

“I’ll dye your whole head blue later if you don’t shut up.” 

Dipper applied the bleach to Bill’s hair, then washed out his own so Bill could dye a strand. Dipper took the time to check the weather forecast for tomorrow. The big day.

“And?” Bill looked over his shoulder, his breath barely tickling Dipper’s ear.

“I- Rain with a chance of thunderstorms.”

“Sounds perfect for what we’re gonna do! They could shoot a real movie.” Bill put down the dye. “Done. Dye mine and then we can go shower together.”

Dipper snorted. “Wow! Take me out first.”

“We’ve been to Jimbo’s shop before, was that not good enough for you? I even made you breakfast!” Bill grinned.

“No, I wanna go to one of the fancy restaurants!”

“I knew it! Filthy gold digger!”

They both laughed. Once they calmed down, Dipper finished dying Bill’s hair and they took turns showering. 

Bill called from the bedroom as soon as he exited the bathroom. “Dipper, come here. I wanna see how we look together.”

Dipper adjusted his towel turban. “What? Why?”

“Just do it!”

Dipper went into the bedroom to find Bill posing in front of the mirror wall, button up half open to reveal his abs. He’d be lying if he said Bill didn’t look attractive right now. The blue fit in perfectly with the rest of his hair and Dipper wanted to run his hands through. 

“What are you waiting for?” Bill grabbed his waist and pulled him flush against his side. Dipper squeaked, feeling Bill’s warmth against him. The warmth seemed to spread through every inch of his body.

He looked at their reflections, standing next to each other. Dipper looked really small next to Bill, the top of his head barely reaching his shoulders. He saw himself smiling, blush creeping over his cheeks. “We really do look good together.”

“Too bad we aren’t going to the party to dance. Everyone would turn green in jealousy.”

Dipper liked that idea way too much.

They spent the rest of the day watching movies until Bill decided it was time to cook. He reassured Dipper to relax on the couch while he prepared dinner. It ended up tasting more than amazing, but Dipper couldn’t stop thinking about how this might be his last meal. He asked Bill to go home for the last few hours before the masquerade to spend some time with their dog Per.

**▽▽▽**

Bill buttoned the cuffs of his turquoise shirt carefully, still missing his old cuff links. 

They were closer than ever. In a matter of an hour, they would have it back. His casino. Limbo. He would be able to pay Gideon’s stupid loans. He would finally have his life back.

Except he knew Gideon wouldn’t go easy on him after this. He might increase their taxes or some honorless shit like that. They would get through it. Bill would put an end to this and return to his normal life.

Yet he didn’t feel excited at that thought. For the break in, maybe. Somehow his old life didn’t sound all that enticing anymore. Drugs here, money there. He had a successful business. Everyone admired him. Fawned over him. This had been what he imagined his dream life to be back when he lived on the street, running from debts and gangs. He wouldn’t run this time.

What was that feeling? Bill looked into the mirror, frowning.

Fear? Anxiety? For what? He risked his own ass a million times in his life and death was inevitable anyways, so why was this any different?

_ Dipper. _

Dipper would be with him. He might get killed and their plan would fail. He would lose his back up plan right with the casino. 

But if he was being honest, the possibility of failing to get the casino with Dipper still alive turned his stomach. That’s what made him anxious. He would have to hand Dipper to Gideon, his most hated enemy, and the bastard would benefit from him. He didn’t want to think about what he would do to Dipper. 

Bill knew from the start that Dipper was just a means to an end. He knew anything beyond that would end up in a mess. Why did he care about him? Because they spent a couple of hours having conversation? Why would that have such an impact on him?

It didn’t matter. Bill didn’t want to sell Dipper anymore. He liked him. Genuinely. Even if they had their differences and even if he was an angel worth a fortune. He was nice, cared about other people more than himself and he was great to talk to. Bill couldn’t shake the feeling of lightness around him. They’d grown close in the last weeks. Closer than he had ever anticipated. Closer than Bill should’ve let him. They were almost like… 

If he sold Dipper, he would lose his trust. There was no doubt he wouldn’t be able to get it back. 

He wouldn’t just lose an asset… He’d lose a friend.

And that meant one thing. They couldn’t fail.

Stan’s voice echoed from the living room. “Bill? Are you ready?”

Bill threw on the teal jacket and the mask, shooting one last look into the mirror. A blue and golden cheetah stared back at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm changing the rating from E to M because I think it's more fitting. Nothing is explained in super graphic details so M should be perfectly fine. I keep wanting to write super graphic fucked up shit but it never actually happens dgrgarar Maybe it's not supposed to be.


	15. Heist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to thedogzoo, Lulu9901, winterschizophrenia and PicyKitty for commenting!

Bill stepped out of his apartment building, the cheetah mask slid into his hair. He looked up. Between skyscrapers and smog he could barely make out the evening moon. He didn’t spot a single cloud. Dipper’s weather forecast didn’t seem very reliable. He got into Ford’s car with Stan and Mabel already waiting inside. He complimented her bright pink dress. 

After that, none of them spoke until they picked up Dipper. Bill hated how tense the air was. 

“Excited?” Bill asked. He sat in the back, now squeezed in between Dipper and Mabel.

“Why would I be excited for a break in? I’m super nervous!” Dipper smiled half heartedly. His face looked pale, in stark contrast to the relatively dark, vibrant blue and teal suit he wore which sparkled every time they drove past street lights. 

“Well, just think of the epic birthday party we’ll have after this!” Mabel threw in enthusiastically.

Birthday party?

“If we make it out alive,” Dipper deadpanned. “Who’s birthday is it anyways?”

“Bill’s of course! Don’t tell me you didn’t know!”

Oh. He totally forgot about that between all this chaos. His own birthday was a couple of days from now. On summer solstice.

“Really!?” Dipper smacked Bill’s arm. “Why didn’t you tell me? I have to get you a gift!”

Bill laughed. “To be completely honest, I forgot with all the stuff that has been going on. I’ll have to organize a party for sure!”

“You all better get out alive so we can party together!” yelled Mabel.

“That’s the plan! You’re not gonna celebrate my funeral  _ anytime _ soon.”

“Bummer.” Dipper grinned.

“You’d be the first one to miss me, sugar bun,” Bill flicked Dipper’s nose. 

He flinched back, failing to convincingly glare at Bill’s hand. “Nope! I’d be glad to be rid of you, rich asshole.”

Bill grinned. “You know, there’s a german saying: ‘Was sich neckt, das liebt sich.’ ”

Mabel bent forward to be able to look at Bill and Dipper. “I have no idea what that means but do I sense  _ gay bickering? _ ” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“No flirting in my car,” said Ford, watching them through the mirror up front. “Besides, we’re there.”

Dipper sighed, barely audible but enough for Bill to pick up on. He couldn’t help but smile. Dipper was a fun one to tease.

The car pulled into one of the parking lots. Ford turned around. “Alright, all of you will get a timer. Ten minutes after we enter, it will vibrate. This is when Dipper has to get into the vent. It will vibrate a second time before Bill has to turn off the electricity. Got it?”

Noises of agreement.

They all took their timers and communication device and Bill gave Dipper a quick rundown on how to use them. Besides the flashlight he also handed him a gun.

Dipper pushed it away, frowning. “I’m not gonna use this.”

Bill put it into Dipper’s hands, closing his own around them. He never noticed how small Dipper’s hands were in comparison to his. “Trust me, you’re gonna need it. Bud won’t feel very intimidated by your hundred pounds. You don’t have to use it.”

Dipper sighed. He looked uncomfortable but slid it under his suit anyways.

Stan and Ford put on their masks, Stan being a racoon and Ford an owl. 

“I will haunt all of your graves if you die,” Mabel joked before she gave them the fake invitations which Pacifica forged for them. She hugged everyone as best as possible on the inside of the car and then left.

Ford made them check their communication devices, comdevs for short. “Alright, I’ll go in with Bill, Stan you go in with Dipper. Wait a couple of minutes after Bill and I go in so it doesn’t look too suspicious.”

“Got it,” said Stan.

“And don’t start a ruckus. You know what’s at stake.” Ford looked at Stan and Bill.

“We’re not  _ that _ reckless,” argued Stan.

“What do you mean!? This deeply offends me, Stanley!” Bill grinned, opening the door.

“And no names. We go by our codenames,” Ford said.

“Alright, big brain.” Bill stepped out, sliding his mask down.

“That is not- You know what? Doesn’t matter. Let’s go.” Ford got out as well and they walked over to the entrance of the casino. They showed their invitations to the security and were let in without another question. 

“Huh, easier than expected.” Bill looked around. They were surrounded by a colorful sea of dresses and suits. Chipper conversation and music all around them. He felt a bit sad to not be able to participate.

“Your parties were always open to whoever wanted to come,” said Ford.

“Yeah! I want everyone to join in on the fun!” He pushed past the people to get inside, bumping into a few on the way. 

Ford stayed behind him. “Keep it down, we don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.”

Bill waved him off. Like anyone would care about some guy being flashy at a party. “Yeah, yeah.”

They were headed straight to the room that has access to all of the electricity in the whole building and crossed through the big hall.

Bill squinted, slowing down. This wasn’t right. The curtains of the stage were baby blue. The band playing were baby blue. The carpets were as well. Vases with flowers that smelled like Gleeful littered every corner. Bill pulled his nose up in disgust. That bastard was redecorating everything like a grandma’s dining room. 

Bill broke from their path, heading for the bar. He would murder Bud. One day for sure. But right now he needed a drink.

“Where are you going!?” Ford half whispered, half shouted.

“You can’t seriously expect me to look around my own,  _ freshly renovated _ casino and the absolutely horrific decoration Bud slapped onto it without a drink.”

“Yes I can. We’re on a tight schedule.” Ford pulled on his shoulder.

Bill rolled his eyes, about to turn around and go get a drink anyways.

“There you are!” shouted someone.

Bill turned around. It was a man dressed in baby blue and he was looking right at him.

Fuck. Did they already have their covers blown? Their whole plan would fall apart. “Who do you mean?”

Ford stepped in. “You must be mistaking him for someone else.”

“No, you’re the pianist!” Oh thank fuck- The man grabbed Bill’s arm. “We’ve been waiting for you to arrive for an hour! Come on.” 

Bill grimaced at Ford who only shrugged at him but pointed at where his time was concealed under the suit. Alright. He’d make it quick. “Of course, of course!” 

He followed the man to the piano, illuminated by a cold spotlight. Lucky that he could actually play quite well. He grabbed a random drink from one of the waiters and placed it onto the polished wood of the piano. He took a seat, swooped the tail of his suit behind it and laid his fingers on the keys. What to play? He hadn’t done this in a while.

Bill pressed a couple keys, satisfying sounds hanging in the air. Barely audible under the chatter all around. He found the next keys with ease. A simple harmony to begin with. Soft and slow since he hadn’t done this in a bit as if to polish away the rust and dirt. He got faster and louder, people turned to him to listen. The song was fast but chipper. Something like an old song he heard but not quite. A mix of a few maybe. A lot more chaotic than the originals for sure, but it didn’t sound off. A crowd had gathered by now. At some point the band on stage joined him.

Bill was so focused on playing that he only barely heard the white noise and Dipper’s voice on the comdev. He couldn’t stop in the middle of the song with such a wonderful audience, so he continued. 

Time felt almost endless like this.

**▽▽▽**

A minute after Bill and Ford had entered, Dipper and Stan went to the security guards who asked for invitations which they handed to them. Dipper turned to walk towards the entrance when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“Can I have your IDs, please?” one of the guards asked.

Dipper froze. IDs? They didn’t bring any IDs and especially not any matching up with the names on the invitations. 

“But we have the invitations, what’s there to clarify?” Stan asked.

“IDs or we can’t let you in,” said another guard.

Stan frowned. “But people before us also got-“

Dipper tugged on Stan’s sleeve. He didn’t want this to escalate.

“Actually, they’re with me.” A blonde girl with a snake mask and an emerald green ball gown approached them. Mabel trailed behind her, now wearing her unicorn mask. She winked at Dipper.

The guards backed down. “Oh, excuse us, Miss Northwest. We didn’t know.”

Metaphorical bullet dodged. Barely.

The girls led them inside. 

Pacifica turned to Dipper. “So, you’re her lost brother?”

“Well, formerly lost.”

“I suppose so.” She smiled. “I’m glad you’ve been found.”

Mabel gasped, totally not listening to their conversation. “OH OH! Look, they have a chocolate fountain!”

Dipper lifted a brow, amused. “She’s always like that, isn’t she?”

“You haven’t even seen her full potential,” said Stan.

Pacifica chuckled. “Indeed.”

Mabel was already over at the fountain, two fruit skewers in hand. “Paz are you coming!?”

“Looks like I’m needed. Good luck.” Pacifica waved at him, then disappeared in the crowd. 

It was time for him to find the room with the vent. Stan led him to the hallway.

“Where are you two going? The party and auction is that way.”

Dipper flinched hard.

It was another guard. She pointed to the main hall. A second guard joined her.

“I-I’m sorry, miss. We were looking for the toilets,” Dipper lied. He wanted to smack himself for how insecure he sounded.

The guard whispered to her colleague. “You’d think these rich bastards would be able to read signs. I can’t fucking believe it.” Then she turned back to them.“I’ll bring you to the toilets.”

This might be harder than expected. Dipper and Stan took the detour to the toilets which were unsurprisingly fancy, decked out in decor and marble. You know someone was rich when they could afford to make their toilets look better than Dipper’s whole apartment. 

“How are we gonna get to the room? We’re already behind schedule, aren’t we?” Dipper leaned over the sink, looking at himself. He felt sick. He had been anxious before but this really topped it. His hands felt like he dunked them in water. He squirted on some soap and washed them.

Stan leaned against one of the stall columns. “I don’t know, kiddo. We’ll need a distraction. Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.”

That didn’t comfort him at all. “If you say so…”

They went back to the main hall. Dipper looked around to find possible distractions. Spill drinks on the guards? No thanks. Throw dice on the ground? Could work but wasn’t that big of a deal.

Wait- Where did all the people go? They had been all over the place before but now it looked like they were all gathering. Was that a piano playing? And where did Stan-

People were getting shoved into each other and started shouting. The guards in front of the hallway ran over. Stan emerged from the masses, leaving behind a fighting pit as if he had done nothing wrong. “That was awfully convenient.”

Dipper chuckled. “I can’t believe you just made grown adults fight over bumping into each other.”

Stan shrugged. “What can I say, I know how to rile people up. Let’s go kid, the guards won’t be occupied for long.” 

They just entered the hallway when another guard popped up behind them. “Stop.”

Oh no, not again- They weren’t gonna get there in time.

Dipper turned around, another excuse at the tip of his tongue.

But the guard only glanced at them and then nodded, a glint of recognition passing over his face. “You should hurry.”

Stan nodded. He brought Dipper down the hallway to the room.

“Who was that?” Dipper asked. 

“One of the old guards, Bill calls him Keyhole. He’s been working here for years.”

So Bill still had alliances back here. Was he one of the people he wanted to talk to that night at the bar?

Stan cracked open the door to the room for him. “There you go, kiddo. Be careful.”

“Thanks. You too.” Dipper stepped in, his heart pumping loudly. Beneath all the nervousness, he felt oddly giddy. He couldn’t believe he broke into a casino. With the actual owner  _ and _ his family. While this was more nerve wrecking than anything he’d ever done, it was equally as exciting. Maybe Bill was rubbing off on him.

Once Dipper was in the room, Stan locked the door behind him. Dipper took off his mask and looked at the vent. A metal tunnel lulled in darkness. The vibration of the timer caught him off guard. He would have to crawl through there now. 

Nevermind. The excitement drained out of him, replaced by fear. His gut clenched.

Dipper had always been afraid of the dark. Obviously because he couldn’t see anything. Some creature could be waiting for him there. But what made it even worse was the loneliness. How he felt like he was the only human alive in the dark. How he felt abandoned. Helpless.

The dream came back to him. The one where he ran after his sibling, Mabel, but tripped and was left behind by his family in the dark room. All alone.

He flinched. The timer vibrated again. Bill should have turned off the lights by now. What if they got discovered? Maybe the place was being shut down. Surrounded by the police. Or some gangs under Bud’s wing.

Dipper fumbled out the communication device. “Bi- uh… cheetah?” He whispered in case Bill was in a tricky situation. On the other end he heard… piano music!? “Bill, what the heck are you doing!?”

He didn’t get an answer but the piano music continued. It sounded quite nice actually. The person playing must’ve had incredible skill and Dipper would’ve very much enjoyed it if he wasn’t _breaking into a casino._ “ _Bill!”_

Still no answer. Only harmonious tunes. Dipper let out a frustrated breath and sat down. Maybe Bill was being watched? Or maybe he had lost his device in the crowd. That seemed plausible. 

The song ended and he heard someone thank the audience, calling himself the best piano player in all of history. Yeah, that was Bill. Of course he played the piano like a master.

Footsteps echoed through the hallway. The comdev switched to Stanley. “Hey kid, there’s some guards approaching. I’ll keep them occupied but you need to hide.”

Dipper’s pulse rose even further as his stomach did a loop. Blood rushed through his ears. “Got it,” he whispered. He should’ve been in the vent by now. This was going very wrong very fast.

Quick. Where to hide? There were a few shelves that had cleaning supplies on them and a desk. Nothing made for a good hiding spot.

Stan talked to two people directly in front of the door. If he didn’t hide, he could blow the whole mission.

_ The door. _

It was risky but there was no better option. Dipper pressed his back against the wall next to the door. His breathing was uneven. Calm down. You got this. One. Two. Three. He counted to ten.

The door unlocked and creaked open, shielding him from the rest of the room. 

“I told you. I was just trying to catch a break,” said Stan.

“Why would you do that in an off-limits area? There are plenty of lounges and prettier places than the hallway to a cleaning room.” One of the guards walked into Dipper’s field of view with his back turned to him, inspecting the vent. If he turned, they were done for. Dipper held his breath. His heartbeat seemed louder than drums.

“I don’t care much for all that. Those are not places to be completely alone in.”

“That is true but we have orders.” The guards left the room. “Please follow us back to the areas to guests.”

Dipper sighed and instantly slapped a hand over his mouth. One of the guards turned.

“Did you hear that?”

“What?”

“I think I heard something-”

The lights went out. Finally.

“What the hell!?”

“Let’s just bring this guy back to the rest. I have a feeling we’re going to be needed.”

They closed the door. This time Dipper sighed for real. That was a close call.

He had to act fast, he already lost so much time due to procrastination.

Dipper stepped across the room carefully. He didn’t want to accidentally knock anything from the shelves. His hand finally found a wall and he patted around to find the vent. Dipper slipped out of the jacket and pants since sapphire gemstones weren’t exactly the most comfortable or silent material to crawl around in, thankful Bill had given him stretchy underpants.

“Alright… Here we go.”

Dipper turned on his flashlight, then carefully pulled himself into the metal tube as quietly as possible. It wasn’t very quiet, the metal thunked. It better not break, he wasn’t that heavy.

Dipper dragged himself forwards, pulling his legs into the vent as well. It was tight. If he took a wrong turn, he didn’t know if he could turn back around. He didn’t know if he would even want to turn around, knowing there was only pitch black.

Slowly, he began crawling. Left. Then right. Up. Left. Left again. Right. And up. Keeping the directions in his head like a mantra. Left. Then right. Up. Left. Left again. Right. And up. That was what Bill had told him. He would forever curse him if it wasn’t true. Being stuck in the vent system of a huge casino wasn’t exactly what he had wanted to do that day. Or ever.

He went left, then right. Up was a bit of a problem since he had to scale an entire room’s height but the narrow vents proved quite useful for that. He almost reached the top.

His leg slid down. “Ah!” 

He barely caught himself, blood thundering through his veins. His flashlight clanked down the vent. Dammit. It was almost completely dark now. He didn’t stop to think about it. He had to get through. 

Left. Left again. A bit of light shimmered in from the room below him. It flickered, barely illuminating the set of massive fans before him. 

Of course, they were turned off due to Bill cutting off the electricity.

Dipper’s device turned on. It was Bill. “I hear people. Have you got this, Owl?”

Dipper crawled under the wing of the fan. It wasn’t sharp but if it spun fast enough, Dipper wouldn’t put a limb to it.

“Owl?” Bill sounded distressed.

“Sorry.” Ford panted. “I got recognized and had to run for it.”

“Fucking hell-” Bill cut off.

More light flooded into the vent.

The electricity was back on. Both of the fans surrounding Dipper started rotating. 

He was trapped.

**▽▽▽**

Shortly after Bill left the electricity room, the lights flickered back on. Several guards came to investigate while Bill rushed as far away as possible, hiding in a storage room. He couldn’t stay for long, the guards would likely be searching the entire area for him. Hopefully Dipper was through the vents already.

His comdev turned on.

“B-Bill?” Dipper’s voice shook, he sounded close to crying. It was hard to understand what he was saying because of background noise. “I’m stuck between two fans.”

Fuck. “Dipper, I can’t get back into the room. There’s at least 15 guards there.”

“S-so I’m stuck in here!?” Dipper sounded so desperate and scared, it almost broke his heart. 

Bill frowned, rubbing over his eyes. This was bad. Really bad. “Do you have anything with you to jam the fan? A metal rod?”

“Why would I have a metal rod on me!?” Dipper yelled. “Sorry…”

“It’s fine, I get you. What about your mask?”

Shuffling. A thunk. Silence.

“Did it work?”

“I-I think-”

A crunch. The background noise of the fans returned.

“N-no.” Dipper sniffed. 

What could they do?

“Well, damn us. If we don’t get you out of there, the plan is fucked. If only Sixer had been more careful then I wouldn’t have had to leave my post!” But Bill couldn’t change that anymore. And he couldn’t continue the mission without Dipper. There was no way for him or Stan to reach Bud without being stopped.

They might just have lost.

Thunder crashed in the distance. Bill laughed bitterly. The perfect weather for a plan to go swimming.

Wait.

_ A thunderstorm? _

Oh.

Bill grinned. They weren’t out of business just yet. He was either about to save all of their asses or dig his own grave. Curse his genius. “Don’t worry, Dipper. I’ll get you out of there.”

“How!?”

Bill didn’t answer. He needed to get out of the building. “Racoon, how is the security doing?”

“They’re on edge. Talking about a lockdown until they know what’s going on.”

“Alright. I’ll have to be fast then.”

He pressed his ear to the door. Silence. Carefully, he opened it and risked a look. Clear. Bill snuck out. He’d have to scale the stairs to get to the emergency exit that led to the roof. Hopefully there wouldn’t be too much traction since there was absolutely nowhere to hide.

Bill pushed open the heavy fire door. The room was cold. These were the stairs for employees so they looked significantly less exciting than the rest of the casino. The stairs were black marble nonetheless. 

He listened for noises. Nothing. Perfect.

Quietly, he ascended the stairs. One flight. Turn. Flight two. Six more to go.

The upper half of the doors were made of bulletproof glass. The lower half was thick metal encased by carved wood and gold. He ducked to get past unseen in case anyone walked by. 

Thunder crashed outside.

Another two flights. He ducked under the glass. People chatted in the hallway behind the door.

He went up one flight. Bill peeked around the corner of the last flight. People walked hectically in the hallway and the door was open. He needed to get to the exit to the roof of one of the lower parts of the building on the end of this hallway.

Alright. He could do this. 

With his back to the wall, Bill half walked, half crawled over to the door. Two pairs of feet were approaching. He would take a look when they passed.

“I don’t get why the boss is making such a big fuss. There’s a thunderstorm! Of course the electricity can cut out at any moment!”

“The others told me they chased a guy that Bud recognized. Who’s to say there aren’t more of them?”

Bill frowned. Ford would get to hear from him later. He’d almost cost them their entire mission and still might.

The guards came into view and Bill backed off.

“Let’s go downstairs.”

_ Fucking hell. _

The two of them turned to enter the staircase. Bill stood up. They pulled their weapons, startled. Bill thrust his arm forward and sent a surge of electricity through them. They fell to the ground, spasming and screaming in agony.

Well. That hadn’t been the most quiet way to do it. An ear-piercing alarm went off and guards shouted. If he didn’t act fast, he would get surrounded.

Bill didn’t even look into the hallway before bolting. Shots fired. Bullets panged off the walls. He  _ really _ missed the weight of his bulletproof vest. 

His eyes fixed onto the exit. It wasn’t far. A couple meters. A few feet. 

A bullet grazed his left arm and pinged off the wall. “Gh-”

He slammed into the door. Pressed the knob. It was locked. 

Fuck.

A couple dozen guards ran towards him with their guns raised. Shouting. “Don’t move or we will kill you!”

Please.  _ Please. _

He jammed his shoulder into the door once, wincing. Twice. Blood from his arm dyed it red. Another time. The door groaned and creaked but it wouldn’t open. He bit his tongue as his shoulder cracked.

This was the last obstacle. He couldn’t fail now. He wasn’t giving up.

Another group of guards stormed in. Fucking damn-

They shot at the guards who cornered him. One of them nodded towards Bill. 

Keyhole. Bill recognized them as security that worked with him for years. The people he talked to that night at the club. 

He slammed into the door one last time.

It flew open. Bill crashed into the rain and threw it shut. He bent a random pipe and jammed it into the door, looking back at the guards. They were occupied for now.

The adrenaline had taken over so much that Bill only just realized that he was drenched. Rain pelted down mercilessly, washing the blood from his bullet wound down his arm. His blue sleeve turned an ugly brown. What a shame.

Lightning flashed above. All around. He heard the street. Police. Ambulances. Probably not headed for the casino. Bud didn’t mess with the police unless he had to.

“B-Bill? Are you still there!?” Dipper’s voice sounded so small. Fragile. Afraid. Maybe even… worried? That was probably just the distortion. Was Dipper actually worried for him? A small smile touched his face. He didn’t have time for this. Dipper needed his help and he needed to get his casino back.

“Give me a moment.”

Time to try something really fucking stupid.

Bill climbed up the ladders to the highest roof of the building despite the lightning. This could go horribly wrong. But it was worth a shot.

“There you are…” Bill opened a black box. It housed a huge amount of cables and switches. Would be a bummer if, hypothetically, a lightning struck it. Could, hypothetically, fry the entire block. It happened once upon a time so Bill had to make sure to insulate it as best as possible. No lightning would ever hit it.

Unless something became a bridge between the lightning and the cables. Like a metal rod. Or water. Or, more morbidly, a  _ person _ .

Bill pulled out a knife and cut open the plastic around the wires. It had been a while since he’d done something like this. He touched the metal core without hesitation. Electricity surged through him. It felt like drinking water on a hot day, washing away most of the previous exhaustion. He tugged on the cables to stand up.

Thunder boomed above. Bill looked into the sky. He felt the energy everywhere around him.

He held up his other hand. This better work.

He let the energy within him flow. Crackle. Electricity jumped from his fingertips in little sparks.

Lightning struck a building nearby.

He’d have to reach out. Meet it halfway and then pull it in.

Bill closed his eyes. He had done a lot of shit in his life. Overdosed. Played russian roulette. Crashed several of his cars. None of it included using his body to attract lightning. If he died now, at least he had fun for the last few years. An unending party of gambling, sex and drugs. But nothing meaningful. Nothing that truly fulfilled him. If he didn’t die, he might work to fix that. 

A burst of energy washed over him like a wave. It was time. His eyes shot at the sky. Hand reaching as far as possible.

Rain hit his face. Water blurred his vision.

The sky tore open with a sickening crack.

Bill released the energy he’d been holding.

The lightning connected with his. He pulled it in, gritting his teeth. Down. Lower!

It entered him. His fingertips screamed. Then his arm, his chest. He screamed. His suit caught on fire. His whole body was alight. A deadly mix of power and poison. 

It surged through his other arm and then the cables. And then it drained out of him. 

“Hah!” 

That was the most awesome thing he ever did. Bill collapsed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like where I cut it off. (Ry I see u with ur Sherlock face laughing at everyone because you know what happens next.)


	16. Cake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Lulu9901, IchabodTheCrane, winterschizophrenia, Ghosting_Around, yerianais, DeathLie and PicyKitty for commenting on the previous chapter! Have fun with this one. Hehe.

Dipper was on the verge of a panic attack. He could feel it cooking up. His breath quickened. Thoughts racing. Heart drumming. Pumping blood through his ears.

He shouldn’t have agreed to this. It was a foolish plan from the start. Bound to fail. And now he was trapped between two fans that chopped his mask in half like it was butter. If he moved a foot back his legs would get cut. If he moved forward, he’d lose his face. He was cornered. 

The sound of the fans deafening. It felt like they were drawing the air out of him. Choking him.

Hot tears rolled down his face. This was how it would end. He would never really get to know his sister. Or his great uncles. They would all think he was a failure.

Bill was right. He was weak and soft. Useless. A child. Incapable.

Dipper sobbed uncontrollably, tears hitting metal. 

A low growl echoed through the vents. 

Dipper froze, suddenly as quiet as a dead mouse. What was that? There wasn’t an actual creature in here, was there?

Another growl- no- a rumble. 

_ The thunderstorm. _

This didn’t help him at all. He was still trapped in a vent. Dipper sniffed, the reality of the situation dawning on him. He was still alone. 

Suddenly, a loud hiss and the cracking of glass coming from below. The lights went out and the fans silenced.

Bill made it. 

_ Bill made it. _

Dipper wiped his tears away, taking a deep breath. No time to think. He had to crawl while he could. He would be okay.

He touched the fan in front of him with caution, rotating it back and forth. There was no resistance. He listened. No sounds of engines running. No signs that it would start again anytime soon.

Dipper pushed himself through and made his way across the vents. He could do this. He only had one thing left to take care of and they’d be successful. He’d be free of guilt. He’d be even with Bill and he could return to his life. He could return to his family, away from all this madness, and enjoy life. 

Dipper arrived at the end of the vent where a slitted metal plate separated him from an office. Bill’s office. Well,  _ former _ office. Bud sat on the chair with a frown, illuminated by candlelight. A weird gem in his hand. 

He only had to drop down and make Bud sign the contract. But how? He should’ve thought about this sooner.

Dipper grabbed his gun, sighing. He wouldn’t shoot. He could never live with the knowledge of having wounded or even killed anyone.

His heartbeat was kicking up again. Stomach churning. No blood would be spilled on his account. Or at least nobody else’s.

Dipper turned so his legs faced the plate. He took a deep breath. He had come this far. He could do this. 

One… Two. Three- Come on, Dipper. Get it over with. 

He really hoped Bill and Stan were in their positions taking care of the guards.

He counted to five. Then to ten before he gave one hard kick. The metal flew away, hitting the ground with a thunk. 

“Wha-”

Dipper dropped down, arms raised slightly. “Bud, I’m only here to talk. Nobody needs to get hurt.”

The round man stared at him. His expression changed from shocked to amused. He laughed. “You’re the kid who was with Bill that one time, aren’t you? The one who played cards with us?”

“Yep, that’s me. And I want you to sign  _ this _ .” Dipper slapped the contract onto the table, doing his best to act tough. He was proud he didn’t even stutter. “You’ll give the ownership of Limbo back to Bill.”

Bud looked at the contract, then back at Dipper. He pursed his lips. “You don’t seem like the type for intimidation.”

“I’m not. Would you rather have Bill torture you?”

“Let me phrase it like this, what happens if I don’t?” Bud challenged, an unconcerned smirk on his face.

“Then I’ll have to use my gun.” Dipper motioned to the holster at his leg.

“Hah! Touch it and I’ll call for my guards. You’ll be dead within seconds.”

“This room is soundproof.” Dipper forced a smile. The walls might as well be made of cardboard. He had no idea.

“I can still call my guards on this!” Bud fished out a communication device not unlike the one Dipper was using. He looked a lot less cocky all the sudden.

“Surely you’re aware that I didn’t come alone. Your guards are distracted.” Dipper pointed at the candle which barely illuminated the room. “And blind.”

Bud trembled with anger, he smacked the desk with a single fist. “Fine! I’ll sign your stupid contract! You can have this stinky place! Wasn’t worth the effort anyways!”

He grabbed a pen and signed it begrudgingly. “There, you happy?”

This was it? Bud was a lot easier than expected.

“Very.” Dipper smiled, reaching out to take the contract. He did his job and nobody had to get hurt.

But Bud bolted forward, grabbing the gun at Dipper’s waist before Dipper had time to react. He cocked it with an evil smirk, aimed right for Dipper’s head. “Sorry, nothing personal.”

Bud pulled the trigger.

And stared at the gun dumbfounded when it didn’t fire. He pulled the trigger again and again. “What!? Why is this dumb thing not working!?”

Dipper grinned. “It wasn’t loaded. I left the bullets back in the vent but I'm afraid you won’t fit.”

Bud turned red, baring his teeth. “Damn you! Tell Bill his loans just doubled!” 

He threw the gun to the floor and ran out of the room. 

Dipper took a good look at the contract. Signed as it should be.

Wait. Was that it? Did this mean he was done?

He did it. They did it! The plan worked! They had the casino back! Dipper laughed. He climbed through a hecking vent and intimidated one of the highest ranking people in  _ the freaking mafia. _ Who could say they’d ever done that!?

All of the happiness plummeted into Dipper’s stomach when the door opened. For a second he wished to have a loaded gun on him.

“I got us some cake to celebrate.”

It was Bill, grinning from ear to ear, cake in hand. He touched the lamp next to the door which flickered to life. His clothes looked like he set himself on fire? Not that Dipper would be surprised if he actually did. 

“What happened to you!? Are you okay?” Dipper rushed over to him, checking for wounds. “Did you jump into a bonfire!?”

“Oh, you know. Got hit by lightning. No big deal.”

Dipper blinked at him. “WHAT!? WE NEED TO GET YOU TO A HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW!”

“Woah, calm down, sugar!” Bill patted his shoulder. “I’m fine! ...Mostly- but electric powers and all. No need to worry.”

“I’m not-” Dipper stopped himself. “Okay, maybe I  _ am _ worried. And you’re seriously fine?”

“Yeah, I feel great actually! It wasn’t that bad, hurt a bit but it also I also felt so powerful.” Bill leaned on the desk.

Dipper sat down in Bill’s arm chair. “Power won’t be very useful to you if you die.”

“I suppose that’s true. If I didn’t do it you would’ve been trapped in a vent though.  _ And _ I wouldn’t have my casino back.”

That was a good point.

“We’re done now, aren’t we?” Dipper felt weight lifting off his chest. He felt good. No, amazing even. Like all of his tension turned to dust.

“Looks like it.”

Dipper hummed in content. His eyes wandered through the room until they stayed stuck on Bill. 

He caught himself looking at Bill’s exposed and slightly charred chest. What was he doing? He shouldn’t be staring. 

Bill looked at Dipper right as he averted his eyes awkwardly.

“Chest got your tongue?” Bill grinned. “It’s fine, I’m used to it.”

Dipper’s heart leapt into his throat. He coughed.

Bill’s grin turned more subtle. A gentle smile. His gaze resting right on Dipper.

Dipper fumbled for words. “You seem um... a bit distracted as well.”

“Me? Distracted? By what?” Bill lifted his hand. It looked like it had been in the oven for a day. Skin cracking open. Flesh seared.

“Bill what the heck happened to your hand!?” Dipper jumped from the chair, grabbing Bill’s wrist. 

“You mean besides having lightning shoved through it? Well, I had to hold the metal cables to fry the system. I guess they got a bit hot.”

“A bit!? This is going to scar!” Dipper inspected it. He didn’t remember having ever seen a more gruesome looking injury in his entire life. And he had patched up several abused animals in the last few years.

“One more really doesn’t matter at this point.”

“Where’s the first aid!?”

“You don’t have to do this, you know? I’ll take care.”

“Where is it!?”

Bill sighed, then pointed to a shelf.

Dipper dug out the bandages, sanitizer and burn paste. He went to grab Bill’s hand but stopped, feeling his pulse picking up for the hundredths time that day. 

“What?”

“Give me your hand.” 

Bill complied. Dipper grabbed the hand. It was warm. Pleasantly so. 

_ Focus. _ Careful not to open the wound, Dipper poured alcohol over it and cleaned it. He felt Bill’s gaze searing into him. Watching. “Stop staring. You’re making me nervous.”

“ ‘Nervous’, huh?”

Dipper rolled his eyes and applied cream, rubbing soft circles into Bill’s palm. He still felt Bill’s intense gaze on him. 

Dipper looked up, met by eyes of brilliant cerulean and intense gold. He huffed. Was it just him or did Bill enjoy this? He hadn’t realized how close they were. His face heated up. “S-stop looking at me like that.”

Bill grinned. “Like what?”

Dipper sighed. Bill was just being Bill. “Like... I don’t know. Hold still.”

Bill did what he asked. In fact, Dipper was creeped out by how little Bill squirmed as he applied the burn paste.

“Why are you being so gentle? You look like you’re caring for a puppy.”

“I don’t want to cause you pain.” Dipper slowly wrapped the bandages around Bill’s hand.

Bill chuckled. He spoke softer than usual. “Don't worry, I’m into pain.”

Dipper smiled. He slapped Bill’s shoulder. “Asshole.” Then he chuckled as well.

They looked at eachother. It felt like he was seeing him for the first time. Like he hadn’t really looked before. Those stunning golden blue eyes. The scar across his eyebrow. The piercing in his nose and under his lips. 

Bill looked at him with the same vulnerability Dipper looked back.

They were so close. 

Dipper leaned forward. He wasn’t sure why. He just did.

The bandaged hand found its way into his curls. Pushing them back. 

Oh no. 

Dipper looked down. “Don’t laugh, okay? It’s a stupid birthmark.”

“So that’s why you’re called Dipper, huh?” Bill’s thumb caressed over his forehead. “I think it’s beautiful.”

“You- ...Really?”  _ Beautiful. _

Bill pulled his hand back. “Sorry, I forget personal space exists.”

“I- N-no! It’s fine! You can-” Dipper reached out for Bill’s hand before realizing he didn’t actually know what to do with it. “Uh… nevermind.”

There it was again. That gaze. Those intense eyes staring into Dipper’s soul.

They were still close. Dipper’s nose mere inches from Bill’s. Feeling his breath on his lips. Tingling.

They both stilled. Both aware. Chests rising and falling in sync.

Dipper wanted…

He wanted-

Dipper leaned forward, eyes closing, his lips headed for Bill’s.

But that’s not what he found. Instead of warm lips he found something- sweet??

Bill stuck a fork with a piece of cake into Dipper’s mouth. “Here, you  _ have _ to try this! Truly amazing cake.”

Oh. Dipper chewed on the cake, a dreary feeling taking over.

Okay?

Had he misinterpreted things? Had he acted too quickly?

Dipper forced himself to smile and swallowed the cake. It was alright at best. A bit dry. “Yeah… it’s really... good.”

What was he thinking anyways? Kissing a criminal? What a big mistake that would’ve been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C:
> 
> See ya in a couple days.


	17. Garden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Lulu9901, DeathLie, winterschizophrenia, PicyKitty and something_poison for commenting!

Dipper had trouble falling asleep. This wasn’t exactly a surprise to him as his day had consisted of, amongst other things, breaking into a casino, crawling through a dark vent which he got stuck in and fearing for his life before facing the father of the local mafia boss. He consciously pushed the incident with Bill from his mind.

Yeah, it was a normal day. 

The sleepless hours of thinking and reliving the events were unpleasant, needless to say. He kept spiralling back to that moment of hopelessness when he thought he would be stuck in that vent forever. In hindsight, it was quite ridiculous. Someone would have gotten him out one way or another. He doubted Bud Gleeful wanted someone in his vents, much less a rotting corpse. So eventually, Dipper got over it.

What he didn’t get over was the fear of losing his family before even getting to know them. Therefore, despite it being- Dipper checked his phone- 3AM, he texted Mabel, Stan and Ford in the groupchat ‘FAMJAM’ Mabel had made for them. He proposed to meet up with them in the following week. Mabel answered instantly with an all caps ‘YASSSS’ which made Dipper smile.

After that, he fell asleep surprisingly fast.

The next morning, or rather noon, he was woken up by the sound of his doorbell. Who the heck…? He checked his phone. Turned out Stan and Ford agreed to their meetup. He had 12 missed calls from Mabel. 

The doorbell rang again. It was probably them. Dipper hit the ‘call back’ button. His phone rang once before Mabel picked up, yelling right into his ear. “DIP DOP! I’ve been trying to call you for an hour! We’re ready to go!”

Dipper flinched, throwing his phone off the bed. He caught it at the last second, an inch above the floor. 

“Dipper? Hellooo?”

He pushed his hair out of his face. “Yeah, give me five minutes. I just woke up.”

Dipper hung up, throwing himself back into the sheets. He stretched with a big yawn and got up. It took him around 4 minutes to take a quick shower and get dressed. His teeth could take not being brushed for one day. He grabbed his phone and keys, put on his shoes and opened the front door. 

Mabel instantly tackled him with a hug. “Good morning!”

“Oof-” Dipper almost fell over but Mabel kept him steady. While he was super tired, this had something very comforting about it. He hugged her back very gently. “Morning.”

“Mabel, don’t harass the poor boy. He just woke up,” said Ford.

“Awww but I gotta use our limited time and make up for all the sibling hugs we never had!” Mabel let go of him. 

“It’s alright.” Dipper stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind him. 

Stan pushed himself from the wall he was leaned against, dropping down a couple steps on the stairs. “So, where are we going?”

“I wanna go shopping!” Mabel’s voice echoed through the hallway as she hopped downstairs. That girl had all of the energy Dipper was missing. He followed them down. 

“Again? I was thinking more like casi- um,  _ arcade _ ,” said Stan.

“Arcade seems fun!”

Dipper didn’t usually mind arcades as long as they weren’t crowded. However, he still felt the embrace of sleep and his ears were already stressed enough from—no offence—Mabel’s over enthusiastic voice. “We can go to an arcade if you guys want to.”

They went outside and Ford unlocked his car. “I’d fancy myself a museum but you should decide where to go.”

“Oh sure, you decide, Dipper.” Mabel sat down in the back of the car, motioning for Dipper to join her. 

Dipper bit his lip. He knew a place he’d always wanted to go to. The botanical garden. Aeon told him a lot about it. Since he used to work as a botanist before he went blind, he had gotten free access more than once which was really cool since the entrance fees were abnormal. It made sense though. Pretty places filled with nature were becoming more and more scarce. 

He sat down in the car. “I have an idea but it’s kind of expensive… I don't really have the money to pay for it though so the arcade is fine.”

Ford turned around from the driver’s seat. “Not to intrude but what happened with Shermie’s inheritance?”

“Oh. Well…” Dipper scratched his head. “I donated most of it. I’m not good with money and that amount was too overwhelming.”

Ford nodded. “Understandable. Money isn’t an issue for us. We’ll go where you wanna go.”

Dipper hesitated. He really didn’t want to cause too much of an inconvenience but they all seemed fine with it. Bill probably gave them a decent salary. “I’ve always wanted to go to the botanical garden. But seriously, you guys don’t need to spend that much money on me.”

Stan laughed. “We’re taking you there, even if it costs us half our fortune.”

“Which it doesn’t just for the record,” Ford added.

“Really!?” Dipper smiled. 

Mabel wrapped an arm around him. “Yeah! Let’s go see some flowers!” 

Traffic was alright so they arrived at the elegantly coiled gates of the botanical garden within half an hour. It was still pretty cloudy but this wouldn’t stop them from having a good time. Ford got them tickets from the ticket shop which was it’s own little shed. Well, it was more like a full house to be honest. A small villa on it’s own. 

Ford came back with four umbrellas in hand in case it would start to rain. He handed them the tickets and inside they went. Dipper’s jaw dropped. The light red path wound around sloped hills, crossing a small river. The sides of the path were decorated to the brim with flowers he didn’t even know. Red. Blue. Purple. Trees dotted the landscape as if he was straight inside of an italian painting. 

Mabel walked past him. “This is sooo pretty!”

Stan shrugged. “As pretty as some flowers can get. I prefer coins.”

Ford nudged Stan’s side with his elbow. “This is a garden, not a casino.”

They walked along the path together. Dipper still couldn’t believe he was actually here. It looked so much better in person. He could smell the soft scent of flowers. It felt relaxing in comparison to the smog he was used to. Purple sage, yellow stonecrop and- was that quince? These flowers could take some heat.

“How did you learn about this place?” Mabel adjusted her pace to fit Dipper’s.

“My ex boyfriend Aeon was a botanist and I myself love nature! I guess I could’ve showed you my apartment but it’s full of flowers and other plants. It’s almost like a greenhouse.”

“So that’s your hobby then? Gardening?”

Dipper sighed. “I wish we had a garden but you know how expensive those are. I do as much ‘gardening’ as I can inside the apartment. Other than that I like the arts. Writing and drawing in particular.”

“YES!” Mabel threw her fist in the air and Dipper almost had a heart attack. “A fellow artist!”

“You draw?” Ford asked.

Dipper rubbed his arm, looking to the side. “I do but.. I’m really not that great.”

“Shush! You can’t judge art like that! I’m sure it’s great!” Mabel insisted.

Dipper smiled. “What do you do in your freetime?”

“I paint whenever I feel like it! Mostly abstract and fashion related. Oh! Shopping with my friends is super fun! I love getting a bunch of dresses and throwing fashion shows in my apartment!”

While Dipper couldn’t really relate to that, it sounded like Mabel was really enjoying it. “That’s interesting.”

Mabel stopped in the middle of the way.

Dipper turned, a worried expression washing over his face. “Are you-”

“Dipper. We  _ have _ to have a sleepover together!” she declared.

Stan snorted. “Be careful, she might make you dress up or give you a makeover.”

Ford nodded, slightly amused. “Been there, done that.”

“Wow, you guys are cold heartedly trying to sabotage my relationship to my brother, huh?” Mabel joked. “We can draw together! Maybe order some donuts. I won't force you into anything.”

That sounded nice. To be honest, Dipper had kind of wished to get a friend to draw with. “Sure. When though?”

“I don’t have time later, obligatory spy thing, you know,” Mabel shrugged. Dipper nodded even though he had no clue what that meant. “Tomorrow would work for me!”

Dipper fished for his phone, opening the calendar. Yup. He was free. “Alright. I’ll bring my drawing stuff.”

“Don’t forget your pyjamas, those are essential.”

Dipper smiled. “I won’t.”

They walked through the park for around three hours in total and they hadn’t even seen half of it. They took a lunch break and paid for ridiculously overpriced food since none of them had thought of bringing snacks. Well, Ford brought himself a can of tuna in olive oil which he would’ve shared except nobody else wanted it.

After that it started to rain and they decided to call it a day. Ford brought him home, insisting to walk the stairs up to the right floor which Dipper found a bit odd. He fumbled out his keys and pushed them into the lock.

“Dipper, I have been meaning to ask you-” Ford paused, avoiding eye contact. Now Dipper was really thrown in for a loop. What could he possibly want to know that would cause this reaction? “What’s your relationship to Bill?”

Dipper’s heart leapt into his throat and he stiffened, not knowing how to respond. If the keys were not already in the door, they would’ve clattered to the floor. He expected most things, especially because they barely knew each other, but not this.

Technically they worked together? But now they didn’t anymore? And Dipper may have some feelings for him but he didn’t plan on acting on them. Not after what happened yesterday.

“I- We um…” Great start, Dipper. Ford nodded slowly. He sighed. It would seem weird now, whatever he chose for his answer, might as well spill the beans. “It’s complicated. I guess we're friends?”

Ford watched him and Dipper shifted uncomfortably, looking to the ground. Then the old man hummed. “I see.”

“Why?”

“I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into. Bill isn’t exactly known for being reliable. I’m sure he already boasted to you about his…  _ bedroom _ stories. Overall I would prefer it if our family's ties to him were strictly platonic.”

Dipper swallowed. This lined up with his plans perfectly, yet something didn’t sit right with him. Dipper felt words in Bill’s defense bubble at the back of his throat but he pushed them back down. “Alright.”

“I’m just trying to look out for you,” Ford said with honest eyes. “Working with him is one thing but everything beyond that… I wouldn’t recommend it.”

Dipper nodded, grabbing ahold of his keys again. “I understand.”

“Good.” Ford gave him an appreciative pat on the shoulder. “Have a good evening.”

“You too.”

And with that, Dipper unlocked his door. He tried to shake off this weird feeling, ending up distracting himself by cleaning up the whole apartment until he fell into bed.

**▽▽▽**

One day later, Dipper called a taxi since he didn’t want to get lost on the subway in a part of the city that he hadn’t been to much before. Especially not at night. Turned out Mabel lived right around the corner of one of the fancy shopping districts. He shuddered at the thought of how high the rent of her place must be. One thing was for sure, she wasn’t working for cheap. That or Bill really liked her. More than he should. 

Dipper shook his head. Roseroad 31b. A building not unlike the one the donut shop was in. Pastel pink, built to look european and overgrown by roses. He stepped onto the porch and scanned the names on the doorbell. M. Pines. He pressed the button and Mabel let him inside. She had told him she lived on the third floor so that’s where Dipper headed.

He wasn’t even up the last flight yet when he heard her call out. “Dipper!”

She wore a bright pink pyjama with yellow ducklings all over it, her hair pulled up into a messy bun and she smiled like the sun herself.

“Hey.” This time Dipper went up to hug her. “I’m not in my outfit yet, I don’t think the taxi driver would’ve appreciated that.”

Mabel snorted. “Come in, you better get changed. I picked out some movies to watch and we still have to order some food.”

Dipper let her go, taking off his shoes and going inside. 

The hallway of the apartment looked pretty humble. The walls were bright and warm. The floors made of rosey wooden planks. Comfortable if a bit messy with clothes and a bag or two lying on the ground. Reminded him of his own apartment.

“Sorry, I should’ve cleaned up a bit.”

Dipper smiled. “It’s fine. Just goes to show that we are actually twins.”

“I see! A fellow chaotic artist.”

“Yup!”

Mabel showed him the living room which had an equally comforting aura. It looked like a regular living room. Normal couch. Shelves with pictures. A table for painting. The only item indicating her wealth was the  _ huge _ TV. Seriously, it looked more like a whole cinema screen. They must’ve barely gotten it through the doors.

“Impressive right? I don’t like showing off or anything but I  _ love _ watching movies and series so this was a must have for me.”

“Makes sense.” If Dipper hadn’t donated the inheritance, he would’ve gotten himself a big garden. An absolute luxury in this town. It made him sad knowing many rich people only got them to show off. He genuinely wanted to grow and care for crops. 

Mabel sent Dipper to the bathroom to change and he happily obliged. His blue pine tree pyjamas were the most comfortable anyways. He rejoined her on the couch. Mabel had her phone next to her ear.

“Jimbo? Yes hi! It’s Mabel. Yes, I’d like to order some donuts. Hm? Oh... okay. Wait really? Sure! Yes! See you!” She hung up.

“Are we getting donuts?” Dipper asked.

“Nope but we  _ are _ getting the donut man himself.” Mabel grinned. “Jimbo said he already gave away all the leftovers from today but he has time so he’s coming here to make some with us.”

Dipper gasped. He had actually never made donuts together with Jimbo even though that seemed to be the most obvious thing. They both loved baking. 

The twins started to watch the beginning of some random romance movie. One of Mabel’s favorites. The door rang and Jimbo came in, carrying two big boxes of what turned out to be yeast dough and other ingredients as well as decoration.

They completely forgot about the movie and took over the kitchen. Mabel had a super nice kitchen, modern and elegant but a bit cluttered. She shoved all of her belongings to the side to make space for the donut making.

They each rolled out a piece of dough and began to cut out rings. Jimbo told them about his day at the shop. Dipper didn’t really do much besides getting some sleep so Mabel told them about her day.

“I was out with Pacifica today. She had a meeting with her management about a big gig and she got it! I’m so happy for her!” Mabel squealed. “I have to go thank Bill later. He helped us both so much! I can’t even imagine what would’ve happened if I hadn’t bumped into him! I wouldn’t have a girlfriend today.”

“Coincidences are funny like that,” Jimbo said. “You two wouldn’t know each other without Bill either.”

Mabel gasped. “You’re right!”

“Maybe we would’ve met at the donut shop,” Dipper said.

“True.” Mabel put all of her donuts and donut holes onto a tray and put them in the oven. They decided to bake them since frying would get too messy. Then she walked over to Dipper, popping a chocolate chip into her mouth. “I’m curious about you and Bill.”

Dipper bit his lip. He did not like where this was going. “...Oh?”

“Are you two a thing?”

Jimbo stopped working and settled down next to them. Of course they were both interested in his non-existent love life.

“There’s nothing going on between Bill and I.” Dipper saw Bill and himself in the casino office. Bill in his burnt outfit looking like he came straight out of hell. How he had wanted to kiss him. Dipper looked to the ground. He couldn’t help but feel a bit sad even though he knew this was a good thing. “I don’t even know if he would consider me a friend.”

“Really? He called you a friend when he asked me to go get the costumes for you,” Mabel put a hand on his shoulder. “Plus, if you ask me, the one and only love expert, I think Bill has a thing for you.”

Dipper’s head snapped up. “What?”

Jimbo chuckled. “Come on, Dipper. Bill is terrible at hiding when he genuinely likes someone. You must’ve noticed something.”

“Well, he’s constantly trying to flirt and calling me weird nicknames. But that’s just to annoy me.” Dipper thought back to when they barely knew each other. One of the first things Bill had suggested was for him to sit down on the man’s lap. Dipper frowned. “He’s always done that.”

“On the way to the casino that other night he seemed pretty sincere about it,” Mabel argued. “I sense chemistry here.”

Jimbo nodded. “Agreed.”

Dipper sighed. “And what makes you think I would care on the slim chance that he had an interest in me?”

Mabel stared at him and then burst out laughing. “S-sorry it’s just- so obvious you’re crushing on him!”

Dipper frowned, crossing his arms. “I’m  _ not _ crushing on that asshole!”

“Okay okay-” Mabel took a deep breath to calm down. “So what exactly happened right after you guys got the signature?”

“He brought me home. And no, he  _ didn’t  _ stay.”

“No I mean, right after. Like.  _ Right right _ after.”

Dipper swallowed, looking to the side. “I bandaged his hand. And then we left.” 

Technically wasn’t a lie.

“At least try to be convincing,” said Jimbo with an amused smile. As much as Dipper liked the guy, he wanted to tape his mouth shut right now.

Mabel gasped. “Did you kiss? Oh, I bet you kissed! Did he run away afterwards!?”

Why did he wish that was what happened? Dipper groaned. He might as well tell them. “No! We didn’t kiss- Only almost…”

“I KNEW IT!” Mabel jumped through the kitchen. “So he  _ does _ like you!”

“That’s the thing... Bill was the one to turn me down.” That stung way harder than Dipper thought it would. He felt his eyes starting to burn. He wouldn’t cry about this. He was better off without dating him. He would find a better guy. Sometime. Somewhere.

Mabel quieted down as if all of the energy had been sucked out of her. “Oh…”

Dipper laughed bitterly. “It’s fine. I should’ve expected it. I’m not up to his standards. Just a random kid who likes plants. Nothing like his rich ladies.”

Jimbo went to hug him. “Bill has his affairs, yes, but I haven’t seen him quite like this in a while. He changed, you know? Ever since you two met. I think he really cares for you but doesn’t know how to deal with it. He’s not used to it.”

Dipper sighed into Jimbo’s shoulder, glad they couldn’t see his face right now. He shouldn’t be getting worked up over this but he couldn’t help but hope. “I don’t know…”

“And you also changed. I remember when you came to the donut shop to talk to me. You were all distressed but now you seem… a bit more relaxed?”

“It’s not like it matters anymore.” Dipper leaned back a bit. “Bill and I are done. He doesn’t need me anymore. We got his casino and I only need to get my safe now. I don’t really care much about that either since I have my family back.” The safe couldn’t hold something more important.

“I can already see Bill coming to me to ask why you don’t want to meet up anymore.” Mabel opened the oven, getting out some donuts before putting in another tray.

“Definitely. He’ll come talk to me about it as well with that pouty face of his,” said Jimbo.

Dipper bit his lip. “I don’t know…”

One one hand he wanted to try. On the other he knew he would probably only get hurt. 

“You’ll still be coming to his birthday with me, right?” Mabel handed him a donut, sloppily glazed with chocolate.

Dipper took it, staring at the glossy surface. “I don’t feel like it. Too many people. Plus I wouldn’t even know what to wear.”

“Don’t you worry bout a thing! Fashionista Mabel and Jimbo have got you covered!” Mabel sprinkled some edible glitter on his donut.

Dipper smiled, pointing at Jimbo’s feet. “Jimbo is wearing socks with sandals right now.”

“I’m a cute fashion disaster and you love me for it.” Jimbo put an edible flower onto the donut.

Dipper sighed.

“Will you give him a shot?” Mabel jumped up and down.

What could go wrong at this point? Dipper bit into the donut. Sweet and chocolatey. “Sure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone hecking remind me to post aergaergaerga   
> I keep preparing the upload but then forget to actually upload it. F in chat. But I will (hopefully) upload another chapter tomorrow.


	18. Solstice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to winterschizophrenia and PicyKitty for commenting!

It was the 19th of June. A day before summer solstice and more importantly, Bill’s birthday. Or at least the one he picked for himself.

A week passed since the masquerade. Bill had barely seen Dipper at all. Or any of the Pines. He couldn’t fault them, they hadn’t had much time to catch up before the heist. It was weird though. He felt like something was lacking.

Whatever.

What mattered now were the preparations for his birthday. Bill wandered through the main hall of the casino, the space between the marble columns now decked out with tables and chairs. He checked the table cloths for stains, blood or otherwise. Smoothing out the fabric before the decoration was put on it. 

Bill took a look at his hand. He wasn’t wearing the bandages anymore. In fact, when he took a shower after the break in, he found his hand to be healed up perfectly. He stared at it in wonder until he realized what happened. This was Dipper’s doing. His magic. His angelic blood allowed him to heal. He must’ve been powerful enough to do it without realizing he was doing it. Bill asked himself how Dipper hadn’t figured this out by himself.

Sahir smacked Bill’s arm, tearing him out of his head. “Hey, I need someone to step on to get these decorations up.” Bill had invited all his friends over to come and help out. 

“Someone to step on? Without legs?” Bill grinned, lifting Sahir out of the wheelchair. “You can do your magic tentacle stepping on Diabo, I don’t wanna be part of that.”

Sahir flailed around like a fish out of water. He was pretty light due to his height and missing legs. “PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW OR I WILL RIP OUT YOUR-”

“You asked me to help. You’re the perfect height now.”

“You know what? Fair.” He mumbled something under his breath and hung up the decorations. 

“You could’ve used your telekinesis, dumbass.” yelled Diabo from across the hall. 

Sahir glared at him. “What if I chose not to, huh!? It’s not like it costs energy or something! You didn’t think about that, did you!?” He turned his attention back to Bill who set him back down. “Where is that dumb kid you like so much? You could’ve had him do this instead.”

“Dipper is with his family.” He would’ve liked for Dipper to be there as well but he knew how much he had wanted to find them. They were busy catching up. “I heard Jimbo saying something about a sleepover.”

“Sorry for being late!” Jimbo walked in with a cart of boxes behind him. Speak of the devil, huh? “We had to figure out a recipe for these first.”

“Jimbo! Are those the donuts?”

“Donuts and-” He paused, taking out a donut and grabbing one of the other boxes. They smell of fresh baked goods wafted through the air, making Bill’s mouth water. “I present to you, our children, born of bread and of donuts! Bagels!”

Sahir grabbed the donut out of Jimbo’s hands and tore into it. Seemed he wasn’t the only one who was hungry. “Difgufting!”

Bill eyed the boxes. “Since when do you make bagels?”

“Since today.” A man with dark hair dressed in purple stepped around from behind the cart. Wait, what?

Bill squinted. No, that was most definitely him. “Tad Strange?” 

“That is correct.” Tad took one of the bagels, offering it to Bill. “And you must be Bill Cipher.”

“Huh.” Bill accepted it, licking his lips before savoring the treat. It was so fluffy. A nice yeast dough. Probably fermented for several days like it should be. “How come?”

Jimbo put an arm around Tad’s shoulders. “We’ve had our differences but we learned that working together to create something new is better than rivalry.”

Bill took another bite of the bagel instead of pointing out how one sided the rivalry had been. “I’m gonna love eating more of these! Put them into the cold room.”

“Aye, aye, Captain!” Jimbo and Tad said in unison and rolled the donuts and bagels away. Bill still couldn’t believe they finally made up.

**▽▽▽**

Time went by faster than expected and the sun set. The party was in full flourish with the casino decorated to the last crevice and colorful lights dancing across the halls. Music blasted, people danced, ate, drank, chatted and gambled. Just how he liked it. Bill had already held the mandatory speech, mingled with a few people and excused himself once he chatted enough to join the elongated table his friends chose.

“Already done dancing?” Cable was draped across the whole couch. Diabo sat on a chair at one end of the table and Sahir was nowhere to be seen.

“Dancing with strangers is fun but it gets old quickly.” Bill laughed at himself. A couple of months ago he would never have said that. A couple of months ago he hadn’t known Dipper. He looked at Cable, then Diabo. “And I doubt either of you would wanna dance with me. What do you say, princess?”

Diabo grunted. “Stop calling me that.”

Sahir rolled up and slammed a plate with several colorful drinks on it onto the table. “Are you degrading Diabo without me?”

“What is this?” Diabo motioned towards the drinks. “I wanted whiskey.”

“You  _ always _ want whiskey! And I _ brought _ you whiskey, just with added fun!” Sahir lifted himself out of the wheelchair and made himself comfortable on Diabo’s lap. Probably against Diabo’s will but you never knew with these two.

Bill snorted and grabbed a random drink. It tasted more like sugar and fruits than whiskey.

“I’m glad we finally met up at the casino again, they have so many tasty drinks.” Sahir swirled his finger in a dark drink and popped it into his mouth, sucking it clean.

“Yeah, why is it that we didn’t meet up here for a while?” asked Cabill, taking a sip of his martini.

Right, he never told them about the casino thing. And he didn’t intend to do so either. It was all done and over with. They didn’t need to know. Bill swallowed his drink and cleared his throat. “I wanted to go to other places for once. We usually come here and it’s not all that exciting.”

Before anyone could ask any follow-up questions, Jimbo joined them with his arm around Tad’s shoulder. “Hey, what are you guys up to? Did Dipper still not arrive?”

“No,” Bill said, trying his best to hide the disappointment. It wasn’t like he had been looking forward to dancing with Dipper. Or to see him in general. They hadn’t had much contact since the heist. “Maybe he had something better to do. Like watering his plants.”

Jimbo grinned, grabbing Bill by his arm and dragging him away from the group. “He spent the last couple of days sending me pictures of possible outfits to wear. I highly doubt he ditched you. He’s just running late.”   
Was he trying to impress Bill? Or someone else? “He could be going to some other event.”

“You two are hopeless idiots.” Jimbo sighed. “Let’s dance.”

Not one to decline a dance with his friends, Bill spent almost an hour twirling and throwing Jimbo around and vice versa. The benefits of two burly men dancing. 

While it was fun for a while, his thoughts eventually caught up with him. This wasn’t how he had imagined his birthday to go down. He was usually drunk and high by now. And also at least half naked. Not being upset over some kid not being there.

Bill let go of Jimbo and walked to the edge of the dance floor. “I’m gonna go out for a bit.”

He went outside. The fresh, warm night air of Vegas blew through his hair. He didn’t really have a plan. Or an idea what to do. The parking lots were full. The streets buzzing. He could hear the music even from here. 

This is probably what all of his birthdays would’ve felt like if he didn’t drink in excess. Didn’t get high on some deadly drug. Didn’t pull strangers into the back rooms to fuck. It felt horrible. And lonely. The one person he wanted to be there didn’t even send him a text. No ‘Happy Birthday’. No nothing.

“Hey Bill!” 

His head snapped up and he straightened his posture. It was Mabel, running at him in a pink dress and high heels which didn’t seem to slow her down at all.

“Sorry we’re late!” She threw herself at Bill, squeezing him with the power of a python. “HAPPY BIRTHDAYYY!”

Bill couldn’t help but laugh. He added some choking noises, pretending he was suffocating. 

“Mabel! You can’t murder the birthday boy! That’s illegal!” Dipper joined them.

Mabel let him go, grinning. “I’ll just get you tomorrow then!”

Dipper shook his head, smiling. “You can go inside already if you want to.”

“I’ll leave you sweethearts alone!” Mabel winked at him and left.

Bill finally got to take a closer look at Dipper. He wasn’t wearing anything Bill had expected him to wear. Like something casual. No, Dipper wore a dark blue suit with a tie and a vest. It fit his form very nicely.

“Sorry that I wasn’t here earlier. Mabel took ages to get ready.”

“It’s fine, you're here now. You look good in this.” Bill smiled.

“Thank you! Oh, um- I should’ve congratulated you first, huh?” Dipper scratched the back of his head, then checked his suit’s pockets. “Where is it… ah!”

He pulled out a little box.

“Are you gonna propose to me? If so, I’m not sharing my money with you.” Bill grinned but he was genuinely curious.

“I’ll be sure to ask you before I decide to propose. Anyways.” Dipper opened the box to reveal golden triangles. Cufflinks. “Happy birthday.”

Bill took the box to get a closer look. They were very similar to his old ones and the letters ‘BC’ were printed on it. Had Dipper remembered he lost his cufflinks all the way back when they ran from the Gleeful mansion? This was the first time he had felt happiness this evening. He felt himself smiling from ear to ear.

“It’s not much but you wear suits so much so I thought-”

“No! It’s perfect! Thank you, Dipper!” He hugged Dipper tight, lifting him off the ground.

“I’m glad you like it.” Dipper hugged him back, chuckling.

Bill let him go, grinning in mischief. “Okay but, what does ‘BC’ stand for? Big Cock? You haven’t even seen my crown jewels yet!”

Dipper slapped his hands over his face. “Bill Cipher, you absolute asshole!”

“You should get more creative with your choice of nicknames. Unless you’re suggesting something in which case I’m down.”

“Let’s just go inside, please?” Dipper insisted to say hi to Bill’s friends first and so he brought him over to the table.

“Oh look, it’s the boy toy,” Sahir said as soon as they came into view. 

“I’m not the one cozied up on someone’s lap,” Dipper retorted but there was no venom behind his words. He smiled, happy to be here.

Sahir pursed his lips, squinting at Diabo. “I think I’m starting to like him. That or the blue stuff from earlier is kicking in.”

Diabo lifted a glass of proper whiskey to his lips, completely ignoring Sahir. 

“Dipper! How has your day been?” Jimbo asked. “You look great by the way. I’m glad you picked that suit.”

Dipper sighed. “Stressful. I wanted to pick this one from the start but Mabel kept advertising the other options like she’d hate me for picking this one. Speaking of, where is she?”

“She went off to dance.” Jimbo glanced at the crowd. “You’ll have trouble finding her.”

“Why don’t we go look for her?” Bill asked, glancing at Dipper, then to the other Ciphers. He wanted to ask Dipper for a dance but not really in front of them.

Dipper seemed to understand. He nodded with a smile, following Bill into the crowd. “Don’t expect anything from me. You’re probably as good at dancing as you are on the piano.”

Bill grinned. “Right you are.”

This was what he had waited for after all. Bill took Dipper’s hand and put the other one on his waist. Like a gentleman. The purple light made Dipper glow as they spun around. He looked angelic. 

They drew closer as the song progressed. Bill wondered if Dipper felt it too. That pull between them. The tension. And well, the electricity was all Bill’s fault for not keeping his powers in check. They had been a bit out of whack ever since the lightning incident.

They were so close by now, he could feel Dipper’s warmth through his suit. He wanted more. Slide his hand underneath and explore Dipper’s soft skin. Undress him in one of the back rooms. Kiss every inch of his body-

“You’re less chatty than usual,” Dipper said.

Oh. Bill hadn’t realized how worked up he’d gotten, his heartbeat unusually quick. He banished his thoughts for now. Dipper wouldn’t want to sleep with him. Not yet. They hadn’t even kissed. Bill wanted to slap himself. He should’ve just let Dipper kiss him at the casino.

“I’m enjoying the moment. And the sight.” Bill twirled Dipper around. He almost toppled over but Bill caught him elegantly just as the song ended. 

“Hey! Be more careful!” Dipper chuckled. His lips were slightly chapped.

Bill was really gonna do this, wasn’t he? He made up his mind and he’d need another drink. Or two. “You can’t deny that it was a perfect finale.”

“Was it? I thought you’d prefer a big explosion or something.”

“ _ That _ would’ve been even more perfect.” Bill turned to rejoin their table.

“Are we done already?” Dipper sounded disappointed. “I was just getting started.”

“I… I’m thirsty. We have the whole night.” He was gonna do it today or keep it platonic forever. 

Bill sat down with his friends, grabbed one of the drinks Sahir brought earlier and drank it in one go. It tasted like grapefruit. Not his favorite but alright. Dipper sat down next to him. 

Mabel was going on and on about some fancy bathroom in the Northwest's mansion while Sahir force fed a donut to Diabo. Nothing unusual. Mabel stopped dead in her tracks, grinning at Dipper. “Aaaand?”

“What and? W-what do you mean?” It was hard to tell with the colorful lights but Dipper sounded like he was blushing.

“You know what I mean!”

Bill grabbed another glass, not paying much attention as he thought about how to best approach Dipper.

“N-no I don’t.”

“Did you ki-” 

Dipper bolted up, more screeching than yelling. “Mabel!” His elbow rammed into Bill’s glass. Spilling it on Dipper’s suit.

“Oh- sorry, Dipper!” Bill stood up as well, assessing the damage. It had been one of the more stain heavy drinks too. This pained him as a suit enthusiast.

Dipper sighed. “It’s fine. My fault. Can we go get towels?”

“Of course! Maybe we can save the suit.”

**▽▽▽**

Bill brought Dipper into the private lounge right next to his office at the casino. It held one of his grand pianos, a minibar decked out with enough alcohol to get even him and his friends black out drunk as well as a pole for special occasions. He grabbed a couple of towels from one of the drawers and patted Dipper down. 

Dipper smiled, placing his hand on Bill’s arm. “It’s okay, Bill. It’s just a drink.”

Bill stopped temporarily, motioning at the dark stain on Dipper’s new suit. “But your clothes-”

Dipper shushed him. “I said it’s okay. I’ll slap Mabel later for being like  _ that _ .”

“Alright. Do you need anything else? I have some spare clothes.” Bill opened a closet. He had a couple of spare clothes in case things got violent. Blood stains were fashionable but not exactly socially acceptable. He dug through button ups to pull out one of his older ones. It didn’t quite fit anymore since he’d started to work out more regularly. “You’ll have to slap her quite a lot then.”

“I'll take that. Thanks.” Dipper took the button up, turned away and lifted his shirt. 

It was like he’d placed a spell on Bill. He was unable to look away. Dipper’s skin looked so soft. Bill wanted to run his hands over his back. Slide them lower, beneath the hem of his- 

“I know. She means well but giving me ‘sisterly love advice’ with special guest Jimbo was a bit over the top.” Dipper put on Bill’s shirt and buttoned it. 

That snapped Bill out of it. Sisterly love advice? Bill laughed. “Sounds like the Mabel I know. Did she actually tutor you? What did she tell you?”

Bill paused for a second as the cogs in his head churned. Why would Mabel be giving him love advice? It either meant Dipper was interested in him… or somebody else. “Wait- who is this about?”

“Oh my gosh-” Dipper buried his face in his hands. “Nevermind. I don’t wanna talk about this.”

Who else could it be except for him? Cable? No way. Last time he checked, Dipper found him super creepy. Jimbo? He should’ve known Jimbo would steal someone from him eventually. The guy was just too dang likeable. He even said Dipper had texted him a ton of pictures of what he was going to wear. A sour taste spread on Bill's tongue. He should’ve never explained to him how smartphones work.

Bill knew Dipper wouldn’t like him being so blunt but he had to know. “Is it Jimbo?”

“What!? No!” Dipper looked at him like he just asked him to go skinny dipping in a sewage drain. “Jimbo is like a brother to me. I could never have a relationship with him.”

Bill squinted. “And it’s not Cable either…? Have Diabo and Sahir invited you to their home? They haven’t even invited  _ me _ to their home.”

Dipper sighed, pushing his hair back. “Don’t worry about it.

“Alright…” Bill continued to worry about it. Who had gone past him? Was he planning to get back together with Aeon? He didn’t know. Bill walked to the door. “You wanna go back or…?”

“It’s your birthday, what do you want?”

Bill touched the door handle but turned around. What  _ did  _ he want? “I… Good question.” 

“Do  _ you _ wanna go back to the others?”

He should. He didn’t know whether to take his chances with the kiss. If Dipper wanted someone else, he didn’t want to make things awkward between them. Sure, he’d hate seeing Dipper with someone else but at least they could stay friends. And do friend things. Like dancing and eating cake together. He could make him breakfast like a good friend.

But Bill knew he wouldn’t rest until he found out. He let go of the door. Today or never. “No. This is nice.”

Dipper smiled at him, taking a seat on the couch with one arm leaning on the arm rest. “I think so too.”

Bill walked over, gaze averted as he pulled up his slacks to sit next to Dipper. He brushed over his cuffs. The golden cufflinks made him feel warmer. He couldn’t believe Dipper remembered about such a silly thing.

“How’s the party been going so far?” Dipper asked, shifting around to face Bill.

Not so great. Bill looked up at Dipper. His big eyes reflected the light. He looked divine. Innocent. Bill took a deep breath. Soon. “Better since you arrived, honeybun.”

Dipper chuckled. “What is it with you and nicknames? Isn’t the point to call someone a specific nickname all the time?”

“This is how  _ I _ do it. Gives more variety.” To be fair, most people he met had one nickname. Like Cable, Sixer or Shooting Star. But he hadn’t found one for Dipper yet. “Why? Does it bother you?”

“Sometimes you come up with some reeeally cheesy stuff. Makes you sound like we’re an old married couple.”

Bill hummed. Marriage was a weird concept to him and he certainly didn’t like the thought of becoming old and fragile. “Well, what would you prefer?”

“Hm…” Dipper pursed his lips, tapping then with his index finger. Bill wished to change places with it. “A plant maybe. Like ‘pine’ or something. A flower maybe.”

Dipper Pines. Pine. Pine Needle? Pine Cone? No, he had a much better idea. “Pine Tree it is!”

Dipper blinked at him like he hadn’t heard correctly. “What- But I said flower!”

“You said pine first.” Bill shrugged. “Sorry, kid but this is who you are now. My Pine Tree.”

“But I-” Dipper sighed, his gaze wandering over to the piano. “I’ll accept it but I have one request.”

“Oh? No fight this time?”

“Would you play the piano again? I heard you play during the masquerade and it was beautiful.” Dipper fumbled with the cuff of his shirt as if this was an outrageous request.

“Was it? Sure, I’ll play.” Bill smiled, standing up and walking over. If Dipper enjoyed him playing then he would gladly oblige. “I’ll  _ even _ sing for you. No need to pay extra.”

Dipper snorted but it was clear how interested he was by the way his eyes focused on him. “How gratuitous.” 

Bill sat down, flipped open the lid and let his fingers drift across the keys to their positions. He looked up at Dipper who still watched him, face slightly flushed. Bill’s stomach fluttered at the sight. What a gorgeous sight. And he had him all to himself, at least right now. He’d use this chance. “What do you want to hear?”

“Something… hopeful.”

Interesting choice.

Bill hit a few keys. It took him a minute to find a tone he was satisfied with. He hummed, then sang.  _ “Let's say goodbye with a smile, dear. Just for a while, dear.” _

A classic. Impulses left his fingertips, translating into melodies. He swayed slightly as he sang, glancing at Dipper every now and then. He looked absolutely entranced, slowly lifting off the couch and approaching. Like a sailor called by a siren. Bill would certainly love to feast on him. Dipper looking at him just like this. Like he was his everything. His whole world. For a moment it felt like they were alone. Just the two of them. The only beings in the universe. 

His fingers moved on their own now, his gaze never breaking contact with Dipper’s as he sang. Before he knew it, the last verse left his mouth.  _ “But I know we'll meet again some sunny day.” _

“Wow… that was… really beautiful.” By now, Dipper stood next to Bill. Stunned and at a loss for words. Bill made him feel this way. Bill made him speechless. Bill made him look as if Dipper had never experienced anything more beautiful than this. It made him feel incredible. This was his doing unlike anything he had made Dipper feel. Not the annoyance of a meaningless flirtation. Not the fear of an empty threat. No, this was raw emotion on Dipper’s face and it made him feel better than he had felt in so long.

Bill shuffled to the side and tapped the free space beside him. Dipper sat down, shoulder to shoulder. They were so close now. Should he? Bill swallowed, his gaze flicking to DIpper’s lips. Just a little longer. “Can you play?”

Dipper laughed. “The orphanage took us to a music school once. The rest of the kids kept making fun of me so I slipped away. The guardians had to bring me back to the orphanage because I climbed into a grand piano. That’s about all the experience I had with that.”

Bill felt his heart melt at small Dipper sitting in a piano. He could imagine him, being all tiny and peeking out from under the cover. Innocent as always, not knowing what he’d done wrong. “That’s so sad but also cute. Did you damage it?”

“Luckily, no. You probably would’ve torn the strings out, set them on fire or something.”

“True. My moms sent me to piano lessons when I was younger. Well, at least until...” Those times were ones he’d rather forget. He didn’t want to kill the mood but it looked like he’d already done the damage.

Dipper’s expression turned more serious, if empathetic. “I understand if you don’t want to tell me but I would like to know. You tell so little of your past.”

Bill sighed, closing the fallboard. His past was his past and he’d rather it stay that way. But since they already cracked that door open, he might as well elaborate. “That’s because I’ve been through hell and back. I don’t like looking back. I live in the present. I’m so much better now.” Sort of.

Dipper put his hand onto Bill’s, sincere eyes meeting his. “I feel you.” 

“When I went to acting school, they offered piano lessons so I took them. Honestly, worst decision ever. They were so boring and all I could think about how I wanted to tear out the teacher’s nails one by one!” The teacher scolded him anytime he didn’t exactly follow the note sheet. Note sheets were the worst.

“Well, how did you get good?” Dipper lifted his hand, running his fingers over Bill’s, paying special attention to his pristine nails. He let him. It felt nice.

“I would stay way past closing times and practice when nobody was there. Well, at the start nobody was there. As I got better, someone must’ve discovered me and invited their friends.” He smiled to himself. “We jammed after midnight.”

Dipper gasped. “That sounds so cool! I’m totally jealous!”

Bill laughed. Those were the good days. The ones he kept in good, if a little romanticised, memory. Sadly, the bad outweighed the good. “Trust me, you don’t want my life.”

“Okay, fair.” Dipper bit his lip, putting his hand down.

“What do you do in your freetime?” It was only fair to ask after Dipper had interviewed him.

Dipper snorted. “I don’t think I have any freetime, honestly. I work. I work some more. I help out other people. Clean the apartment. Take care of my plants. Spend time with family.”

Bill lifted a brow. He had times where he used to work a lot but never the whole day. He always made sure to implement entertainment into his schedule, whether it was parties or otherwise. But he supposed that wasn’t too different in the end. “Sounds very stressful.”

“Yeah, it is. I used to write a lot but it’s not like I could make a living out of it.”

Now that sounded interesting. Not that Dipper wasn’t already interesting to him but he’d love to see his writing. “Oh? Like what? Can I read it?”

Dipper looked away, shoulders becoming stiff and his face turned red. “I-it’s really bad. And weird.”

“Don’t tell me you write porn!” Bill grinned, snaking an arm around Dipper’s shoulders. “Innocent little Dipper writing naughty, naughty smut. I can’t believe it.”

Dipper shrunk further into himself. “D-don’t judge me, please.”

“What? I’m not judging you, it’s just unexpected!” Oh, this was great! Maybe Dipper took inspiration from real life and he had a star appearance. “It’s always the ones you least expect it from. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.”

Dipper smiled awkwardly. “So you’re secretly a big softy on the inside?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

Dipper pulled up a brow. 

Looking at himself, sitting right here with Dipper in his arms, resisting the urge to pull him closer. Well… He liked pretending he was all tough. But he was well aware that he had his fair share of soft spots. The trick was hiding them. “Okay, maybe you’re right. Don’t tell anyone.”

“Sure thing, bug bear.” Dipper flicked his finger against Bill’s side.

Time for a change of topic before this waded him deeper into the swamp that was himself. “And other than writing?”

“Hm…” Dipper leaned against him with one shoulder, running his hand over Bill’s arm until he arrived at the cuff and swiped his finger over it. “I love baking. I’m afraid baking doesn’t love me as much though.”

Bill let his hand slide down to Dipper’s waist, watching him in case he seemed uncomfortable with it. “One of my moms is a baker. I could never quite figure it out though. Cooking is where I shine.”

Dipper snuggled closer, voice soft as cotton. “I was so surprised when you made me breakfast. That was so… nice of you. Unexpected. And of course it also tasted amazing.”

Bill grinned. It meant a lot hearing that from him. “I’ll cook for you again if you come over sometime.”

Dipper looked up, watching him curiously before opening his mouth.“I’d love to.”

Had he always been so beautiful? And how had he missed the tiny freckles all over his face. His skin glimmering in the soft light. Hair covering up half of his forehead.

Bill found his hand in Dipper’s curls before he even realized it. He wrapped them around his fingers. One by one. It was as soft as feathers and he’d love to bury his face in them. Maybe another time.

Dipper looked at him with big eyes. His lips opening like he wanted to say something before closing again.

There it was again. That energy. The feeling of being together but alone. Like there was no life outside of their touch. Like time slowed and the world only existed for the two of them. For this very moment.

He leaned down, unsure of what he was doing but so confident at the same time. Should he or should he not? He pushed Dipper’s hair back, marveling at his birthmark. His nose brushed past Dipper’s.

Bill paused. He felt Dipper’s breath. The rise of his chest. His heartbeat. 

“Asshole,” Dipper whispered before pulling his face down.

Their lips met. Dipper’s soft but chapped. Tasting sweet like syrup. Moving against each other in balance like soft waves. Ebbing and flowing in harmony. It felt like flowers blossoming inside of him. Like he was finally whole. This was what he had wanted all along.

He pulled Dipper closer. Demanding more. He had gotten a taste of his remedy but it wasn’t enough yet. The void within him growled. He needed more. He leaned over Dipper. His hands gripping onto his shirt and-

Bill stopped himself. He didn’t want to destroy this tender moment. Both of them gasped when he pulled back. 

Dipper’s pupils dilated and his face was completely flushed a lovely shade of pink. It suited him but didn’t help much with Bill’s attempts to calm down his longings. He wondered how he would look beneath him. Wrapped in his sheets and nothing else.

Dipper slowly seemed to realize what just happened, eyes growing wide and hands starting to fumble with the hem of his shirt. He looked down, avoiding eye contact. 

Did Bill do something wrong? Was this too soon? Too much?

“I thought… at the masquerade…” Dipper rubbed his arm. “I thought you didn’t…?”

Bill laughed. “I-”

The door slammed open. A very obnoxious voice Bill recognized as Sahir yelled into the room. “The laser show is starting in 5, with or without you. Don’t forget to pull up your pants.” The door was slammed shut.

Dipper got up. “Let’s go.”

“But-”

“This is your birthday show, Bill. We can still settle this later.”

He supposed Dipper was right. Bill got up as well.

They joined the others on one of the balconies to watch colorful lights being beamed into the sky. It was pretty, sure, but Bill’s mind was somewhere else. He still felt the warmth on his lips. The subtle sweetness. Soft hair between his fingertips. 

He kept glazing over at Dipper, occasionally catching him looking as well. The show seemed to drag on forever and Bill was close to calling it off. 

Finally, it ended and everyone clapped. 

Some unimportant people came up to congratulate him. He kept the conversations short.

“Are you gonna come back to the hall with us?” Jimbo asked.

Bill shot Dipper a look. He looked equally on edge, leg drumming on the ground. “I’ll stay a bit but feel free to go. The air is nice right now.”

Jimbo looked at Dipper and then at him. He smiled. “Got it.”

Bill waited until they were alone on the balcony. He walked over to the glass railing, leaning against it. 

Dipper joined him. They were silent for a while. Maybe it was only a minute. Maybe it was ten. “So?”

“...So what?” Bill watched the cars pass by. Everything felt unreal. Had they really kissed or was this a dream? He took a deep breath, midnight msog filling his lungs. No, this was most definitely real. 

“Do you want… this? Us?”

“I… don’t know.” Bill gripped the glass. Relationships were tricky. They required attention and care. Commitment. Bill wasn’t good at any of these. Yet that didn’t stop him from wanting to be with Dipper if that’s what it took to feel whole. “I mean- yes! Maybe?”

Dipper chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so conflicted.”

This was a big deal. A huge deal. Bill Cipher didn’t just date. That wasn’t in his nature at all. He would try to. If Dipper agreed. Bill swallowed. “Do  _ you _ want me?”

“Honestly…” Dipper paused, staring into the distance. His hair bounced around softly as the wind touched it. The lights of the city reflected in his eyes. 

Bill frowned. Was he going to say no after all?

“I can’t explain why.” A subtle smile found Dipper’s lips. “You’re selfish, idiotic, short-sighted and impulsive…” 

Oh. That hit right where it hurt and Bill couldn’t even deny it. Bill pushed away from the railing. He didn’t need to hear more. Dipper could’ve just told him-

“Wait-” Dipper grabbed Bill’s wrist. “That was a dumb place to start. I still feel drawn to you. You’re so brave. You pretend you don’t care when you actually do. I think… deep down.... You have a heart of gold and it’s just starting to show.”

Now Bill really didn’t know what to say. He grasped for words but they slipped through his fingers. His witty tongue rendered defenseless. “I… wow…”

Dipper took his other hand, winding their fingers together. “That being said…” He stood up on his tip toes, not even being able to see eye to eye with Bill so he leaned down just a bit, utterly enchanted.

“I do want you,” Dipper whispered. He kissed him for just a moment.

Bill’s brain stopped working. Trying to understand what this meant. Bill turned around to stop Dipper but he was nowhere to be seen. This kid would be the death of him.

He laughed. His birthday ended better than expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo. It's me. With a belated update. Smh.


	19. Aftertaste

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to winterschizophrenia, Lulu9901, PicyKitty and drinkyourspoiledmilk for commenting! Thanks to everyone for reading! We recently got 2k hits, isn't that cool?

The days after the party had been pleasantly calm. Dipper made a point to not stress for a while and he ended up actually being able to adhere to that. No more looking for his family. No more crazy heist plans. No more turmoil over feelings. Things settled down nicely. 

Dipper still couldn’t believe he kissed Bill. He smiled a little whenever he thought about it, feeling his lips moving against his own. He waited for as long as possible to tell Mabel about it but she kept bugging him. He had a feeling Jimbo gave her a hint so he confessed eventually. As expected, Mabel asked him countless questions, the majority of which Dipper refused to answer. 

Sadly, Bill and Dipper only met a couple of times since then, never for long and never in private. The most time together they got was when Dipper asked Bill to go to the dog park he always went to with the dogs from the shelter. 

Dipper placed a blanket in the shadow of an oak tree. It was a hot day, like many days in Vegas, and Dipper would like to avoid sunburns if possible. He leaned against the tree, reading a book. 

Ten minutes later, Bill arrived with a basket in hand, chipper as ever. His hair glowed in the blazing light, bright blue shirt complementing his eye. “Good morning, Pine Tree! What are you reading?”

“Eh, just some romance novel Mabel wanted me to read.” Dipper put the book down. Bill was a lot more interesting to look at. The way his hair was always slightly deranged and his shirt never buttoned to the top. It wasn’t hard to believe Dipper thought of him as a douchebag just a while ago. He had learned better. 

Dipper eyed the basket, perking up at the smell of freshly cooked eggs. “You brought food?”

Bill grinned, taking a seat next to Dipper. “Yep! Surprise picnic! Thought you might appreciate it.” He opened the basket, placing scrambled eggs, vegetables and waffles in front of them before handing Dipper a plate and silverware.

“I’m so glad you can cook well.” Dipper scooped some scrambled eggs and seasoned vegetables onto his plate, inhaling the smell with closed eyes. His mouth watered.

“I’m glad you like to eat. Gives me more opportunities to cook.” Bill took some food as well and they dug into their scrambled eggs.

It was a blessing but a curse. Dipper could practically feel the food converting into body fat. “You’re not trying to make me gain weight so you can cook  _ me _ , right?”

Bill snorted, chewing energetically. He seemed more relaxed than usual. Uncaring of his posture with a bright smile on his face. “Who would I annoy then?”

“Good point.” Was Dipper really that special to him? His stomach fluttered. It still felt unreal to him. They were a thing now. Kind of. They hadn’t really called it a thing but it felt like a thing. With their little meetings, for once not work related, even if they didn’t go much beyond what friends would do. Bill expressed how he would like to meet more often but they both had things to take care of. Bill getting everything back on track with the casino and Dipper spending as much time with Mabel and his Grunkles as he could. 

“How has it been going between you guys? Is Mabel annoying you yet?” Bill asked, getting out cups and pouring some lemonade.

Mabel was a mystery to Dipper. She had more energy than all of the people he knew combined. Always bright and optimistic. As he got to know her better, he learned that there was actually more to her and that she wasn’t some insane superhuman who could bounce around all day, cheering everyone on. Mabel had her dark moments too. Sometimes having breakdowns over the most menial things purely because she tended to stress herself out. She reminded him of himself.

“Mabel is a lot for sure but no, I like talking to her. It feels like we’ve known each other our whole lives and I don’t mind her rambling. After years of being alone this kind of relationship is very refreshing.” Dipper slurped some lemonade. “Also I have an abundance of sweaters now.”

“She gifted me a couple over the years even though I only wear them on Christmas and her birthday. Not my style but they are very comfy.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing you dress like a normal person.” Dipper was so used to Bill running around dressed up like a savvy businessman that the thought of him wearing anything but a suit seemed absurd. He did want to see him in a sweater. “It’s so funny how you guys knew each other and I just kind of walked into it.”

“Coincidences, huh...?” Bill looked down, scraping over his empty plate. “How are the old men?”

“The Stans are a bit harder to get to know but I think they’re starting to warm up to me. Meanwhile Mabel is all up in my love life, trying to give me tips.” Dipper set his plate down and picked up a waffle. “Anyways, these waffles sure are tasty.”

Bill lifted his brows. ”I’m flattered but I have to ask. What exactly does she tell you?”

Dipper felt his face grow warm. 

“Does it involve bananas?” Bill grinned, leaning against the tree with his shoulder.

“Are you perhaps suggesting something?” Dipper asked innocently.

Bill winked. “Maybe I am.”

Barking interrupted them. Dipper’s head instantly snapped to the source, a corgi running straight into his arms and attacking his face with dog kisses. Dipper laughed, trying his best to keep the slobber off himself while also cuddling the dog. He’d recognize this boy’s sloppy kisses with his eyes closed.

“Chewie!” A woman ran after the dog. “Oh, it’s you, Mason!”

“Chewie! Stop it!” Dipper giggled, still trying to get him to stop.

Bill put on his classic grin, straightening up to face the woman. “And who are you?”

“I’m Mason’s boss at the dog shelter. What a coincidence to find you here, dear. We’re missing you at work.”

Dipper finally got Chewie to calm down. He gave him a single peck to the forehead. “I’ve been pretty busy lately but I’ll start working more hours again soon. Promise!”

“Thank you, dear. Your absence is hard to overlook.” She sighed in relief. “Well, I need to get going, Candy is waiting for me.”

“Sure thing!” Dipper let go of Chewie, sending him off to his boss. “Have a nice day!”

“Have a nice date!” The woman put Chewie on a leash and left.

Bill froze.

“Sorry for that.” Dipper scratched the back of his head. “Are you... okay?”

“Yeah. I just realized that we are technically dating.”

Dipper smiled, feeling a pleasant warmth bubbling up. “That’s technically correct. What are we doing after this? Any plans?”

“Actually, yes.” Bill’s voice dropped, any notion of the previous relaxment vanishing in a second. “I need to show you something. At the casino. It’s about the safe.”

The safe. Dipper honestly almost forgot about that. He had everything he wanted to get so whatever he ended up finding in there couldn’t be better than having his family back.

**▽▽▽**

It didn’t take long for them to arrive at the casino. Dipper was a bit upset that their picnic was cut short but the way Bill’s demeanor shifted earlier made him worry. Whatever this was, Bill wasn’t messing around.

Bill brought Dipper to the lower levels of the casino. The furnishings looked less extravagant and Dipper assumed normal customers wouldn’t ever come here. 

“So, what are we doing here?” Dipper looked around, brows pulled up in concern.

Bill turned around a corner, his steps fast paced. “I wanted to show you the safe. I can’t guarantee that what you were looking for is in there anymore.”

“...What do you mean?” Was there a robbery Dipper didn’t know of? Bill surely would’ve told him earlier.

“You’ll see.”

They walked down the hallway and indeed, it was very hard to miss. A huge, gaping hole spanned one of the walls. The metal room behind it was an absolute mess of drugs, gold and rubble. “Oh.”

Ford sat in the midst of the mess, digging around with gloves on. The bottom of his grey lab coat was covered in dust and what looked like flour. Dipper knew it wasn’t flour. Ford pulled the turtleneck he wore over his nose down to talk. 

“Bud detonated it-” He coughed, then stood up to join them, mumbling under his breath. “Why would anyone in their right mind store coke down here?”

Bill shook his head, stepping into the rubble. “Not Bud, this has Gideon’s handprints all over it. I’ve searched for whatever item Shermie could’ve meant but I didn’t find anything.”

“Me neither.”

“So what was stolen if they left the cash and the drugs?” asked Dipper. While he didn’t really need the contents of the safe anymore, he couldn’t help but wonder what Shermie wanted him to have. Maybe it was just a hint to find the other Pines. Maybe it was something entirely different.

Ford rubbed his chin. “The journals. I think those might be what Shermie had wanted to give you.”

Bill stared at Ford as if he had just told him he blew up the safe himself. “What do you mean ‘the Journals’!? You told me you got rid of them!” 

Ford adjusted his glasses, looking to the side. “I… couldn’t. We worked on them for years, I didn't want to burn all of our research.”

Journals? Like, diaries? Dipper was completely lost. “What research?” 

“About a specific type of artificial gem. We call them amulets. They give regular humans the power to use magic,” Ford explained.

“I’m not sure if you remember good ol’ Tommy Tom Tom, the lanky guy who was there with Bud when you first came here, but he can block my powers with his amulet,” Bill added.

Dipper had assumed that only people who were born with magic like Bill could use it but this changed everything. This meant  _ he  _ could learn how to use magic! Something he never even dreamed of! “I could be using magic!?”

“Technically, yes,” Ford said.

“I  _ have  _ to get one of these!” This opened so many doors for him! He felt like jumping up and down, that’s how excited he was. This must be how Mabel felt most of the time.

Ford looked stern, putting a hand on Dipper’s shoulder. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible. The amulets are dangerous.”

“Which is _ why  _ you should’ve gotten rid of the blueprints _ ,”  _ Bill said through grit teeth, taking an intimidating step forward _.  _ Ford backed up a few steps. “This is some biiig trouble you just got us into, old man.”

“What?” Dipper looked to Ford, then to Bill. How could magical amulets be a bad thing? They had the potential to make life so much easier! There were endless possibilities to how they could be useful! “Why are they dangerous? They could help so many people!”

“Not in the wrong hands...” Ford crossed his arms, pursing his lips.

“They will cost many lives in the chubby hands of that white-haired bastard.” Bill kicked a piece of rubble which thunked against the metal wall.

“How? What are they planning to do with them?” Dipper asked.

Bill looked at him, uncertain. There it was again. He was holding something back.

“You should tell him. He needs to know sooner or later,” said Ford.

Dipper frowned. Why was there always more to it? Did Bill not trust him? “Tell me what?”

“Dipper…” Bill took Dipper’s hands, eyes meeting his with a seriousness that wasn’t very Bill-like. He could make out a subtle softness beneath. “You know that I have demonic blood.”

Dipper had no idea where this was going. Bill explained this to him before. “Yeah. And?”

“Dipper, you’re…” Bill paused, looking to the side for just a moment before his gaze found Dipper’s again. “You have angelic blood.” 

Dipper stared at him, waiting for a punchline. Anything to indicate he wasn’t being serious. And then it dawned on him. Angels had magic too, right? Which meant- “So I  _ can _ use magic!?”

Bill smiled. “No. I told you that many people have angelic or demonic blood but it isn’t strong enough to form an access to magic. Like Mabel.”

Dipper took a deep breath. “ _ I’m _ an angel!? And you tell me that  _ now!?”  _ Dipper looked to Ford, disappointment swelling up. He thought he finally found people who would tell him everything. Like family should. “Why did you not tell me either?”

“To be honest, I didn’t consider it. Stan and I have angelic blood and we’ve just lived with that fact for so long. It’s insignificant if you don’t have powers. I’m sorry.”

Dipper sighed. This wasn’t worth being upset over so he tried to will the hurt away. “So what does this have to do with the amulets and the Gleefuls?”

“The amulets don’t just come into existence. In order to make one you have to get the power from somewhere,” Bill said.

Like an angel. Dipper shuddered. That sounded horrifying. “So they’re after people like me?”

“Not you. They want to steal angels with magical gifts. Our family may have the blood but none of them developed powers. Except Shermie,” Ford said with a bitter undertone. Dipper understood. What was the point of having angelic blood if you had no powers? He would’ve felt bitter too if Mabel had powers but he didn’t.

“And you’re sure I don’t have magical powers?” Dipper asked hopefully.

“Have you noticed any?” asked Ford.

“No…” Dipper sighed. It had been worth a shot. “I don’t think so.”

“Aww don’t look so disappointed! Not all of us can throw lightning and fire around!” Bill hugged Dipper loosely.

“Yeah I know…” Dipper hugged Bill’s arm, giving into his comforting warmth. He didn’t want to ride around on the topic before he got even more upset over it.

Bill kissed his forehead which made Dipper smile. He was glad to have him by his side.

Ford cleared his throat. 

Bill rolled his eyes. “Sorry, Fordsy. Forgot how much you hate PDA.”

“We have important topics on hand. Back to the amulets.”

Dipper perked up. Even if they weren’t useful to him, he wanted to know more. “Right, you still didn’t explain exactly what’s going on there.”

“Gideon already had his own prototypes, however they were very weak and prone to malfunction. They would often also corrupt the user or drive them insane.”

Dipper took his best guess. “But yours were better?” 

“Exactly!” Bill said proudly. “Ours were a lot more powerful and efficient with less malfunctions. But now Gideon has the blueprint so he’s going to want some fresh angels to drain.”

Dipper stared at Bill, unsure of how to feel. “What do you mean by ‘drain’, exactly?”

Bill sighed. “They put you into a machine and, I’m loosely quoting Bud here, ‘juice you like an orange’. Not physically though that wouldn’t surprise me either. I’m not sure if there are survivors but maybe those poor souls are better off dead afterwards.”

Bile rose to the back of his throat. Dipper swallowed air. “We need to do something! This is horrible!”

Bill grimaced. “We can’t. You have no idea how many people work for him.”

“He’ll kill innocent people to get more power! We can’t just let him do this!”

Ford sighed, regret forming behind his eyes. “Dipper, if we could do something, we would.”

Dipper opened his mouth to object but he stopped himself. Ford knew more about Gideon than him. He’d been working alongside Bill for years and Dipper didn’t doubt that Stan and Ford would have accurate knowledge on Gideon’s power. The Cipher’s weren’t that big either. A small group of specialists from what Dipper grasped. “Sorry, I understand. But if there’s anything we can do, I want to help.”

Ford nodded. “Of course.”

Dipper looked to Bill to gain his approval as well but he had grown awfully silent, looking into the distance. “Bill?”

Bill shook his head, eyes focusing on Dipper. “Yeah, sure.”

Dipper smiled slightly. “Where did you wander off to?”

“I was thinking.” Bill looked over to Ford, a frown spreading over his face. “I still don’t understand how Shermie would’ve known the code to my safe. It just makes no sense.”

“Maybe Stan and Ford told him?” Dipper suggested.

Ford scoffed. “No, we tried reaching out to Shermie for years and all we got back was a letter about how he was doing this for the greater good.”

“And you’re sure there’s nothing except the journals in the safe he could’ve wanted me to have?” It seemed unlikely from the things he could make out beneath the rubble. 

“I’m certain,” said Bill.

Ford rubbed his chin.  _ “Unless _ he didn’t even mean the main safe.”

Bill practically jumped. “Sixer, you’re brilliant!” Dipper could see the cogs turning before he ran off.

Ford looked at Dipper and then ran after Bill, Dipper behind them “Where are we going?”

Bill walked around the hallways. “The one with the huge glass wall? The mirror one? The one with the golden statue of himself? No. Wait-” 

They took a turn into a hallway Dipper recognized. It led to the room from which he climbed into the vent system.

Bill banged his hand against the wall. It sounded weird. Like hollowed out metal. A safe. “Dipper, I think we found your safe.”

“Really!?” Dipper looked at the wall. It looked perfectly normal. “How did you do that!?”

“Yup! The workers told me there was metal in the wall but it wouldn’t affect the renovations. Well, except that we have to tear down this newly renovated wall because we weren’t smart enough to check what the metal was earlier.” 

Bill called some of his employees and within an hour of incredibly annoying noises, the wall was laid open and revealed a safe.

The only issue was, it was still a safe. With a combination.

“Did you get a number from Shermie?” Bill asked,

“Uhhhm…” Dipper recalled opening the wooden box on his bed. He remembered letters but none of them had a number marked as a safe code. And none stood out to him either.

Bill groaned. “Don’t tell me we also have to crack this thing. The wall was already enough of a sacrifice.”

Dipper blew dust from the wall off of the numpad. The safe beeped for each number he put in. He hit enter and it made a really ugly sound. “It’s not my birthday, so…”

“Ugh.” Bill rubbed his forehead.

“It’s alright. I will try to crack it. I have a friend who’s an expert,” said Ford.

**▽▽▽**

Bill pulled up a brow. “The crazy old man?” He wasn’t sure how much he liked the idea of letting that hooligan crack that safe. For all he knew, that guy might take what's in it and run for it.

One of Bill's employees came rushing downstairs, looking a bit disheveled. “Mr Cipher, we have guests. They demanded your audience.”

Bill was usually glad to have guests but he had a feeling this wasn’t some fun visit. “Oh? Who is it?”

He didn’t wait for an answer, instead grabbing Dipper and walking past the employee. “Let’s go find out, huh?”

They entered the main hall and indeed, people sat themselves at one of the tables, pouring drinks. A kid with a white hair updo in a bright blue suit slapped a man who was abou to pour whiskey into his glass even though he was at least twice as tall and three times as wide.

“No alcohol, Ghost Eyes. Pour me some orange juice!” the kid demanded. Bill had always hated his chalkboard voice.

‘Ghost Eyes’ shrunk into himself before replying. “Yes sir!” Then he scrambled off hurriedly. A pathetic display of power.

Bill forced a huge grin on his face. “Gideon! What’s the deal? Wanted to have a chat with your old pal?”

“Wouldn’t that be nice?” Gideon smiled, then chuckled like candy gone sour. He stood up as if to display dominance. He was still at least two heads shorter than Bill, barely reaching Dipper in height. “But no, I’m here to tell you that I am SICK of waiting around for your money!”

Ghost eyes came back with a glass of orange juice, almost spilling it when Gideon yelled. 

“I’m sorry.” Bill definitely wasn’t. Gideon already had way more than enough. He remembered their first meeting when he was an actual kid, 16 and bratty as could be. Gideon hadn’t changed much except the little spark of childish innocence had finally vanished from his eyes. What money and power could do to a person.

“ _ So, _ because you decided to force my dad to give you the casino back, we decided to  _ double _ your loan.”

“ _....What?”  _ He couldn’t have heard that right. No. This was a joke. Bill had already made his plans. He’d make enough money to pay off the original loan with the casino. He had been free. It had all worked out.

Gideon smirked self satisfied. “You heard me, Cipher.”

No. No this wasn’t right. He couldn’t do that, could he?  _ “ _ This isn’t part of the contract-”

“Do you think I  _ care _ ? If I don’t have the money in three weeks from now, I  _ will  _ make sure to pin the exact amount you’re missing to your head. Contract or not.” 

Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuck. He could’ve paid off the loan but this? Impossible. “How the HELL am I supposed to get that much in  _ three weeks!?” _

_ “ _ That’s your problem, my friend. You could try catching some angels for me.” Gideon’s voice turned sickly sweet as he leaned against the table. “Hopefully you don’t have many people wanting to take you out. Would be a shame!” 

Bill held back a snarl. What a fucking bastard. His fists clenched. He felt electricity crackle through him and he wanted to electrocute that absolute asshole. 

The tall man stood behind Gideon. Tom. He stared at him intensely. Focused.

Bill let his energy flow to his fingertips. Out.  _ OUT. _

It wouldn’t leave his body. It felt like he was wearing rubber gloves. Tight and uncomfortable.

Gideon grinned, stepping to the side to give them a better view of Tom. “Like him? Tom told me how you treated his colleagues. Was almost going to become a traitor but I convinced him to stay.”

Bill thrust his hand forward. Usually, this would’ve released a powerful bolt. He could see the energy surging through the room. Gideon screaming and going down. But that didn’t happen.

Tom groaned, his hands lifted as well. Turns out Tommy Tom Tom had an amulet for blocking.

Bill grit his teeth. He didn’t want to give in but what else was there to do? “Fine, I’ll get you the money somehow.”

“To you, my friend!” Gideon sneered. He held his hand in the air, the full cup of orange juice floated to his mouth. He looked at Dipper. “Amulets are pretty handy, don’t you think?”

Dipper stood half behind Bill, bunching the fabric of Bill’s suit jacket sleeve. 

Bill froze as he stared into Dipper’s eyes. Realization dawned on him. There was  _ one _ way to make a lot of money very quickly.

Gideon drank half of the orange juice before haphazardly smacking it onto the table, making it spill. “We’re done here. Come on guys, let's go.”

The blue suited figures stirred up, following Gideon out of the hall. Gideon looked back a single time, chuckling. “The word ‘deadline’ just became so much more literal!”

As soon as they were out the door, Dipper spoke up, tugging on Bill’s sleeve in distress. “You’re not gonna help him to find more angels, are you!?”

Bill wanted to take Dipper’s hand. He wanted to hug him and tell him everything would be okay. That he had a backup plan. That he didn’t need to sell anyone. But he would have to.

One at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaha. Everything's fine. Yes. It's great.
> 
> How many chapters do you think there are left? I'm curious.


	20. Club

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to meh_26, PicyKitty and winterschizophrenia for commenting!

Bill slammed the door of his apartment shut behind him. He should be happy he had his casino back. He should be happy he managed to show that bastard Gleeful who owned the place. Happy that everything worked out. But no. Instead, Bill had to worry about Dipper.

He sunk into the couch of his living room and popped a bottle of whatever had been standing on the table. 

Maybe things would balance themselves out. He’d just have to make Stan work more hours to have the casino bring in more revenue.

Bill chugged back a good amount of what turned out to be wine. Awful wine. His financial situation had been stabilizing but now? The only way to get this amount of cash that fast was to sell an angel. And not just any angel. _ The  _ angel.  _ The  _ angel who he happened to be dating. 

He didn’t want to sell Dipper. Especially not to the Gleefuls. Or to anyone for that matter. How could he give Dipper away after all they’ve been through? Now that he knew Dipper actually liked him? How could he betray him like this?

But feelings weren’t rational. Feelings only got in the way. A couple of months ago Bill would’ve mocked himself for letting his emotions get in the way of his business. For letting a random kid with a cute face change him like this. This wasn’t just about him. Too many people depended on him. He couldn’t get attached. Not to Dipper and not to anyone. He learned his lesson. Attachment made you vulnerable. He did not want to be vulnerable. He couldn’t afford being vulnerable.

It was already too late. Dipper had found his place in Bill’s heart so he would have to cut out his feelings. The way his heart lifted when he saw Dipper. How he felt warm when Dipper smiled. The goosebumps when they touched. He had to cut Dipper out of his heart. 

The problem was, he didn’t want to.

Bill rubbed over his forehead, feeling its creases beneath his fingertips. He hadn’t even known Dipper for very long, so why did he feel so strongly for him? Maybe his magic affected him. Maybe Dipper had him trapped under a spell that he didn’t even know he could use. Bill noticed how Dipper’s emotions seemed to be infectious. How he could feel like Dipper felt just by being close to him, let alone touching him. If Dipper had no powers, him and Bill would likely still hate each other. 

Bill hated how he hated that thought.

So what could he do? What would be the best way to handle this?

He would have to sell Dipper. Get rid of him all together. It was not just to his own benefit but a benefit to those around him. It wasn’t just his head on the line. If Gideon got him killed, his whole company would go swimming. Gideon might buy them up, slowly building his army of wealth and power to take control of the whole city. And knowing him, it wouldn’t end there.

Bill felt sorry. For Jimbo. For Mabel, Stan and Ford. And for Dipper.

What other choice did he have?

And why wouldn’t his stupid head just  _ shut up!? _

He unlocked his phone. Time for a distraction.

**▽▽▽**

The music of the club reverberated in his chest as more alcohol burned down his throat. Turned out Cable and Jimbo were out partying so he hopped in, chugging glass after glass, bottle after bottle. The bar keepers were starting to stare at him, prepared to call an ambulance.

“What’s it this time, big boy?” Jimbo sat down next to him, pushing the empty glasses to the side to place his own drink. Some sort of bright pink cocktail.

Bill rolled his eyes, the room starting to spin. It should be obvious he didn’t want to talk about it when he had already consumed the amounts of alcohol he had. He slurred his words. “Nothing for you t’ worry about.”

“Let him be. We didn’t come here to talk about feelings,” said Cable.

“Yeup- This guy gets ‘t.” Bill leaned back, a warm haze washing over his body. It almost reminded him of when he was with- Bill frowned, grabbing Jimbo’s drink and chugging it in one go.

The entrance flew open. People yelped, getting out of the way, tripping and pushing over each other. Bill squinted, barely being able to make out a blonde, dark skinned man. Was that himself? Was he astral projecting? 

“Sahir! Diabo! Come join us!” Jimbo yelled, making his ear ring.

A chair flew Bill’s way. He barely managed to duck and the chair barrelled into a table behind them with a crack. Sahir and Diabo walked in. Well, Diabo walked in. Sahir floated three feet in the air with more chairs ready to throw, his face almost red. The people and the security ran like they just saw a ghost.

Bill laughed, slowly sliding down the couch like his spine had turned to mush. Sahir always had a thing for dramatic entrances. They were probably just annoyed, neither of them told them they had gone out to party. “No need to be so violent! You didn’t miss out on much, promise.”

“When were you gonna tell us that you _ gambled away _ the casino, you washboard-abbed piece of garbage!?” Another chair crashed right into his table, spilling alcohol he still intended to drink all over his brand new suit.

Bill stood up on slightly wobbly legs, growling. His focus slowly returned as his energy cleared out the alcohol. He shot a bolt at Sahir, hitting despite his drunken aim.

“Kh-!” Sahir fell to the ground, spasming for a moment. He cut through the air with his hand. One of the metal light contraptions above them creaked. 

Bill dodged out of the way just in time to avoid being buried under metal. He aimed to land another hit. 

He tripped over his legs. His muscles contracted, cramping. Working against him. He fought it but it was no use.  _ Damn it, Diabo _ . He fell to the ground and bared his teeth, glaring at him. “No- fair-”

“I knew we shouldn’t have trusted you that easily.” Diabo looked down at him, displeased. Bill felt like his legs were about to burst. He bit his lip to suppress a howl.

“Stop!” Jimbo ran between the two fronts. 

Diabo snorted, turning his attention to Sahir who crawled into his wheelchair. Sahir glared at him as he opened his messy braid. Electricity really was the enemy of hair stylists.

Bill panted, slowly getting up. His muscles still hurt. He wished the alcohol hadn’t cleared out so fast.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Jimbo asked, honest eyes finding Bill’s.

Bill sighed, brushing his hair back into place and straightening his suit. Okay, maybe he should’ve brought this up earlier. “Look, I would’ve told you  _ eventually _ but turns out getting the casino back wasn’t that hard at all! I already made a decent amount of profit!”

“Decent isn’t good enough. We need our funds.  _ Now _ ,” Diabo growled.

Well, that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. Not until Dipper was gone. Bill’s chest stung, causing him more discomfort than the physical pain. “Is there any way I can make it up to you?”

“Getting us the money would be a great starting point, eel fucker.” Sahir finished braiding his hair, looking almost like when he had come in.

Jimbo shook his head. “You’re all acting like children. You two either sit down with us or leave.”

Sahir grabbed Diabo’s arm and turned.

“Let me explain,” Bill said. Usually he felt great when all eyes were on him. But not now. He’d rather be anywhere else but here. 

Sahir laughed. “You mean  _ besides _ the fact that you’re a lying asshole?” 

“Look...” Bill exhaled. “I’ve had almost no money because of an impulsive investment for a while now-”

Sahir snarled, ready to charge himself at Bill but Jimbo stopped him by the shoulder. 

“Let him finish.”

“I didn’t lie when we made that deal, that was before I invested into the hotel. And I still intend to pay you back.” Bill genuinely felt bad for having miscalculated like this. Stan and Ford had been right, he shouldn’t have been so impulsive. That would’ve saved them a ton of trouble. All he could do now was try to undo the damage and learn from it. However he doubted Sahir and Diabo would understand.

“Like we can trust you now,” Sahir spat.

“How are you going to get that money?” Diabo watched Bill intensely, sitting down on a bar stool with crossed arms.

There was only one way. One way that Bill wished didn’t exist. “...You all know about Gideon trying to find the angel to make incredibly powerful weapons out of?”

And everyone looked at Bill like he had guessed the lotto numbers correctly. Even Diabo seemed intrigued. 

“Well, I found out who the angel is. My original plan was to sell hi- her.” Bill wanted to slap himself for letting that slip.

Jimbo frowned. He never frowned. The dark look seemed wrong on his face. “It’s Dipper, isn’t it?”

Bill swallowed, feeling his eyes prick. He told himself it was because of the alcohol. “...Yes.”

“So, what? You’re not gonna sell him just because you caught feelings?” Sahir sneered. 

Jimbo shot a look at Sahir. “He’s my friend and also happens to be a very nice person. He doesn’t deserve being sold off.”

“But then how is Bill going to get the money? He still has loans with Gideon! He’s going to put our plans into jeopardy for a dumb angel! We could be swimming in money! We will literally be ruined if Bill doesn’t pay up!”

“I didn’t  _ have _ to sell him anymore since I got the casino back,” Bill explained. “My plan was to wait until I had the money for the loans and your funds from the income of the casino. But that’s impossible now due to damn Gideon and his daddy.”

“We don’t have time!” Sahir yelled. “There’s rumors that people are trying to replicate our formula! I’ve seen it in the streets. That stuff is terrible but who knows how much time it will take for these guys to figure it out. If you’re not gonna sell him then I will!”

Bill smacked a table next to him. “We can’t just sell him!” 

“And we shouldn’t!” Jimbo walked over to him. “He likes you, Bill. A lot.” 

Bill snorted, looking to the ground. He appreciated the gesture but it didn’t make him feel better. He was planning to betray Dipper. He deserved so much better. “Well, he must be blind then. I’m the worst person to like.”

“No you’re not.” Jimbo put a hand around his shoulder. 

“Yes he is,” grumbled Diabo.

“No he’s not, that would be you,” Sahir spat.

“Fuck you, Sahir.”

Sahir threw his arms up. “Do it, pussy!”

Jimbo sighed. “Guys, this is not the time.”

It was silent for a couple of seconds as Sahir and Diabo glared at each other.

If only there was another way. Some way that wouldn’t mean giving Dipper up. Some way that would rid him of the loans and allow him to pay Diabo and Sahir. 

Wait. There was  _ one. _ Incredibly risky but way more beneficial long term.

“The only other plan that could work is if we…” Bill paused. No, that was a foolish idea. “Nevermind.”

“Say it,” Diabo demanded.

“We could try attacking Gideon.” Bill instantly regretted saying it. Now they would think he had gone crazy. Turned into a lovesick fool. “We would fail horribly. Don’t even consider it.”

Sahir frowned, glancing to the side. “As much as I would like to kick that kid's ugly ass and burn his hair off, Gideon has us outnumbered right now.”

It was impossible. Stupid. A waste of time to even consider it. “It’s bound to fail... I’ll... have to sell him.”

Now it was Jimbo who was angry, punching his arm. “Bill! He’s your friend! He’s my friend! He’s Mabel’s brother! You can’t decide this!

It broke his heart seeing Jimbo like this. Calm and collected Jimbo. But he understood. “I don’t  _ want _ to make this choice.”

“You’ll have to,” said Diabo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo. It's Christmas time. I hope you're all vibing your best vibe.


	21. Gone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to skybymyself, PicyKitty, winterschizophrenia and Lulu9901for commenting on the previous chapter!

Five days had passed since Dipper had found out he was an angel. Of course, he had gone to his family to tell him what they know about it. 

Apparently angels with powers were rare, most of them not even knowing of their heritage, so it wasn’t a surprise none of the four had any. Having this knowledge changed surprisingly little about Dipper’s life, if anything at all.

Then they’d said things about Shermie Pines, about their family. He was told his and Mabel’s parents had given them both away without anyone except Shermie knowing about it. Stan and Ford tried to understand why, tried to get answers, but Dipper and Mabel’s parents only ever told them it was for their own good. They died a year before Bill found Mabel. They visited their grave site together and mourned, although Dipper found it was easier than expected. But he still wondered. 

Why?

The last two days, Dipper had mostly spent working at the shelter, running after all the tasks that had been abandoned since he took less hours, trying to distract himself. Why? 

He kept busy, though he did want to go out with his family more often. However, neither Stan, nor Ford or Mabel had answered him when he texted. Bill did say he needed the older twins for something business related awhile ago so Dipper assumed they were busy as well. Luckily, he was going to meet up with Bill today and could ask him about it.

Bill booked a table at a fancy restaurant a few days ago. That restaurant was apparently so fancy that normal people had to reserve their tables a year prior while he could just call them and get one. Dipper didn’t like the show-offiness of it all but Bill wanting to impress him was pretty cute.

Upon arrival, they were brought to a table right next to the window with a perfect view of the city. Dipper sat down carefully, feeling a bit restricted in his formal clothes. Suits honestly weren’t his thing, he’d gladly leave them to Bill.

“Anything you like?” Bill motioned towards the menu.

Dipper looked at the menu. Of course, a normal book wouldn’t have done it. Instead, all of the dishes were carved into silver plates. Fitting for what kind of food they offered. “It all sounds so fancy. ‘Fried watercress leaves’. Who eats that?”

Bill shrugged. “Rich people. I can recommend the fish here. The salmon is perfect.”

“Hmm…” Dipper scanned over the menu, trying to find something he was familiar with. “I think I’ll just have a pizza.”

“Oh! I almost forgot, they do make really good pizza.”

That settled that. “If you like it, how bad can it be, right?”

“You would’ve said the opposite about a month ago.” Bill grinned.

“True. I guess we changed quite a bit, huh?”

“I got even better looking?”

Dipper snorted. “No, you became an even bigger asshole.”

“ _ You’re _ the one that’s into the asshole, darling,” Bill purred, leaning over the table.

Dipper snatched a peck, chuckling. “And I hate myself for it.”

The waiter came and took their orders, bringing them plates and silverware as well as drinks.

Dipper took a peek at his phone. Still no messages.

“What is it?” Bill leaned onto the table, audibly concerned.

Dipper waved him off with a shrug. He didn’t want to bring this up while they were on a date. He could wait a bit longer. “Don’t worry about it.”

Bill looked weary and Dipper awaited follow up questions when Bill opened his mouth. He was interrupted by the waiter, two pizzas on a large wooden plate in hand. Dipper’s mouth watered at the smell of melted cheese and tomato sauce.

The waiter asked them if they wanted anything else and left. Dipper marvelled at the pizza. Not only did it smell like absolute heaven, it also looked like a masterpiece. Like one of the pizzas from the commercials, except that it kept true to it’s promise unlike most other pizzas.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Bill asked. “Buon appetito, mio caro.”

For some reason, Dipper found Bill speaking in italian incredibly attractive. He had no idea what that last part meant but he assumed it was a term of endearment which was incredibly sweet. His stomach growled so he made a mental note to ask Bill about his italian skills later.

Dipper cut the pizza into eight slices, a bit surprised by the fact that the kitchen hadn’t done so already. He put his knife to the side and picked one up with his hands, practically devouring it in just two bites. He repeated this with another piece. And another. Until he felt eyes burning into his skin.

Bill was staring at him with his mouth hanging open like he just set his apartment on fire, a small piece of neatly cut pizza on his fork.

Dipper snorted. “What? Did I do something?”

“Where the hell did you learn how to eat pizza?” Bill motioned to his plate in distress.

Dipper looked at his plate. Perfectly normal. “Are you joking? Because if you are, I can’t tell.” 

“You don’t eat  _ pizza _ with your  _ hands! _ That’s what these are for!” Bill clinked his knife and fork together.

Dipper couldn’t take Bill seriously.  _ This _ is what he got upset over? He laughed. “Of course you eat pizza with your hands! That’s how everyone does it!”

Bill slowly smiled as well, gasping in fake offense. “This is how you americans do it! Disrespectful to the italian roots!”

“Wait, are you not american?” Dipper had never considered Bill being anything else but. It never crossed his mind. “And what is it with you and Italy?”

“The most american thing about me is my passport which I burned along with the rest of my past.” Bill said these words as if they were no big deal, keeping a pleasant smile on his face. “I was told that my biological parents were from Egypt. My moms are Italian and German. And no, I will not accept your ways of eating pizza.”

Dipper nodded, glad to have heard a snippet about Bill’s past. “Well, I’m just a boring american.”

Bill grinned. “Not quite. Your family’s jewish but I’m not surprised you didn’t know about that.”

Huh. He didn’t really know how to feel about it but it wasn’t like it mattered much. He would, however, ask Stan and Ford about it. Speaking of, Dipper checked his phone.

Still no messages.

“Okay, now you have to tell me what’s going on,” Bill said.

Dipper sighed. “I wanted you to tell Stan and Ford to answer me. I’ve been texting them but they haven't seen yet.”

Bill put down the silverware, concern seeping onto his face. Dipper didn’t like this at all. “What do you mean, tell them? I’ve been trying to reach them as well, were they not with you?”

“I thought they were busy working with you…?”

**▽▽▽**

Two minutes later, Dipper sat in Bill’s car, nervously rubbing his thumb over the seam of his dress shirt.

“You don’t think something happened to them, do you?” Bill asked as he threw himself into the driver’s seat.

“I  _ hope  _ not.” They were likely in trouble. Bill didn’t wait for Dipper to finish fastening his seatbelt and accelerated right away. Dipper gripped the door. He was going to be sick for more reason than one. “Bill please! If we die on the way that won’t help anyone!”

Bill sighed, slowing down a bit to match the speed of the cars around them.

“Where are we even going?” 

“We’re gonna meet up with my friends at the Mindscape. I made sure they know it’s important.” Bill paused. “How could this even have happened? Why did you not tell me they weren’t with you?”

“What do you mean?” Dipper frowned, feeling irritated. Was Bill blaming this on him now? If anything, this was Bill’s fault. “Why didn’t  _ you  _ tell  _ me _ they weren’t with you? You were the one who said you needed them for something!”

“Well yeah for business stuff but they’re  _ your  _ family!” Bill glanced at him for a second before his eyes snapped back to the road. Was it just him or did Bill drive faster again. “I thought you guys were really busy bonding over a series or something!”

Dipper snorted, raising his voice. “Do you not think they’d at least answer you!? What if something happened to them!? They’re my family!”

“They’re very important colleagues of mine and I have known them for way longer than you!” Bill barked, giving Dipper a look that told him to keep quiet. 

“What, so I can’t worry about them now!?”

Bill groaned. “That’s not what I’m-”

That’s when Dipper noticed the back of a truck approaching at alarming speed. “Watch out!”

Bill yanked the wheel around, tires and breaks screaming. Dipper sealed his eyes shut, already seeing them colliding. The world turned around, his stomach following the example. Metal screeched against metal. 

“Holy fuck,” Bill whispered.

Dipper opened his eyes. They were fine. Well, except the hood of the car had a scratch on it now. Dipper took a deep breath, attempting to calm down his drumming heart. It was quiet for a minute. The only sounds was the car gliding over the street.

“I didn’t mean to… I guess we both should’ve asked earlier…” Bill looked at the street, head held lower than usual. Dipper felt bad seeing him like this. There was no reason to lash out at the man. It was neither of their faults.

“Yeah, you’re right…” Dipper scratched his arm. A tiny smile made its way to Dipper’s face. Bill was there for him. He’d dropped everything to go check on his family. Leaving fresh pizza behind was a sacrifice not many would make. “At least I have you by my side.”

Bill didn’t answer.

“And it’s only been a couple of days, who knows what they’re up to.” It wasn’t unlikely that they were actually perfectly fine but Dipper felt like he was trying to convince himself.

“What makes me suspicious is Mabel.” Bill tapped his nails onto the wheel. “I haven’t heard from her in a bit and she sends me at least five memes and ten cat pictures a day.”

Mabel sent him all of her favorite vines as soon as she got his number. Not just one time. She continuously sent him memes. All day long. Well, not all day all day, but  _ a lot. _ When she stopped texting him he assumed she had finally run out or was spending time with Pacifica. “I mean I don’t know her as well as you do but I was also a bit suspicious when she just… disappeared.”

“It’s not very Mabel-esque. The Stans disappear sometimes, I’m used to that.”

“Maybe they took her somewhere? Without telling anyone?”

“Hopefully.”

**▽▽▽**

Bill stormed into the lounge, slapping his hands onto the table that Diabo, Cable and Jimbo sat at. “When did you last see Stan, Ford or Mabel!?” 

“Stan came by the factory four days ago.” Diabo crossed his arms and glared at Bill. “He tried sneaking out some of our new substance.”

Normal behavior for Stan, however very misguided. Everyone knew Diabo was the last person to steal from and Bill wouldn’t be surprised if Diabo told him he chopped off the old man’s head and put it on display to set an example. “For personal use I assume. You didn’t murder him, did you?”

Diabo pulled out a knife and for a second Bill thought he might go to stab him as well. His expectations were subverted when Diabo started polishing the blade. “I wanted to but I did not.” 

“How merciful.” Bill was used to Diabo’s short answers. It was just how he spoke. But no, he could hear the blatant disdain and the obvious threat of the knife. He was probably still upset with him. Not a great condition in any circumstance. He had no time to care right now so he moved onto Cable. “What about you?”

He shrugged, seeming more interested in his martini than anything else. “The night of the masquerade. You know those sorry geezers hate me.”

That was true. Seeing Cable and the Stans in the same room together was almost as rare as snow on Christmas in Vegas. “Jimbo?”

The man shrugged apologetically, his voice filled with empathy. “I wish I could say I have a better clue for you but… I only have donut.”

Bill sighed. He could use a donut after this. “I appreciate it.”

“So- that’s all we have?” Dipper asked, his voice trembling. Bill turned, feeling his heart crack at the hopelessness on his face. “How are we ever going to find them?”

“Maybe they went to an event? An appointment?” Bill suggested.

“An appointment? To where? Sibling therapy?” Cable cackled. Everyone stared at him with a blank expression and he shrugged unapologetically.

The door slammed open and Sahir floated in, dragging the wheelchair behind him. “What was this meeting for again? If it’s not an orgy I’d rather leave.”

Bill pulled up his brows. Sahir looked like absolute hell. His clothes were completely deranged, partially torn and he had several mild wounds strewn all over his body, not to mention that his wheelchair missed a wheel. “And where have you been?”

“ _ Someone _ decided to throw me out of the car in the middle of town and I had to roll all the way in this stupid two-wheeled excuse of a chair so those feebleminded human minds outside wouldn’t explode. And then it had the _ audacity  _ to break on me!” Sahir threw the wheelchair to the side and sat down on the furthest end of the table, as far away from Diabo as possible.

Diabo didn’t even look at him, continuing to polish the knife. “ _ Someone  _ decided to bitch about my choice of music.”

“You call that music? That was ear rape! You’re lucky I don’t fuck with lawyers!”

“Grit by Alice in Chains is a great song.”

Dipper spoke up. “Guys, this is unimportant-” 

“ _ Unimportant!? _ ” Sahir smacked his hands onto the table. “Do you see how that imbecile treats my off-the-scale body?”

“Sahir!” Bill yelled. ”I’m sure you’ll be fine. When did you last see Stan or Ford?”

“I _ will _ be once I curbstomp Diabo’s face!” he barked. Diabo finally spared him a glance. Sahir looked self satisfied for a moment before he turned his attention to Bill. “Didn’t you send them to some boring as hell business meeting you didn’t wanna go to?” 

He had. Sahir was right. Bill sent them there so he could spend time with Dipper. Maybe  _ he _ had been the one they’d wanted? But that wouldn’t make any sense. It was supposed to be a meeting like any other. They  _ could _ have gotten kidnapped on the way there or on the way back though. “You’re right. So that’s our last clue then? The business meeting?”

“That’s not a lot…” Dipper worried his lip. He sunk into his chair,eyes glossy. 

Bill pulled him into a half hug, trying to comfort not only Dipper but himself as well. “I’m sure we’ll find them, Dipper.”

“But- but what if they are… dead?” Dipper looked up to him, on the verge of crying. It made Bill’s chest restrict uncomfortably. “What if someone got revenge for what happened at the masquerade?”

Bill couldn’t argue that that was unlikely. In fact, it was fairly plausible. “We’ll just hope that’s not the case.”

Jimbo jumped up, startling both of them. “Wait! Tad’s brother works with Gideon! Maybe they can help us!”

“Jimbo, I don’t know why you know the whole city but I’m very glad you do,” said Dipper, wiping at his eyes.

“Let’s arrange a rendezvous then,” said Bill.

“You guys are gonna come too, right?” Dipper asked into the round. “We could use your help.”

“Your little family issues aren’t my problem,” Sahir snarled.

“Without Stan and Ford it’ll take forever to get your funds. They also work for me in case you forgot,” Bill said, grinning when Sahir let out a frustrated sigh. “It won’t take long. We just have to interrogate Tad’s brother.”

“Do I get to bang metal objects on him?”

Bill shrugged. “As long as you don’t knock him out.”

Sahir suddenly seemed a lot more excited. “Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are going well, aren't they? C:
> 
> Yes. Yes they are.


	22. Decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to drinkyourspoiledmilk and PicyKitty for commenting on the last chapter! I hope everyone's having some nice holidays.

Bill stood in his position at the back of Tad’s bakery, pretending to be very interested in some baking magazine. In a matter of minutes, Tad’s brother would walk in and they would ask him a few questions. He was very surprised when he heard that the man they were waiting for was called Tom. And not just any Tom, he was the tall man Bill had almost killed when his casino reopened. Tommy Tom Tom and his annoying blocking amulet who came to visit him with Gideon.

Their original plan wasn’t too complicated. Ideally, they’d keep him captured for a while or eliminate him all together but chances were that the Gleefuls would notice his absence, especially since Gideon knew him personally. Dipper came up with a better plan, much to the dislikes of Sahir.

The bakery door clicked open and soft chimes filled the air. Bill glanced to Tad, then to the door, making sure to hold the magazine high enough to cover his face. Tom wore a scarf so it was hard to tell if he had his amulet with him. He looked weary, closing the door behind him as he scanned the store. 

“Tom! It’s been a while, how are you doing?” Tad asked, sorting bread into the shelf behind the counter. The guy acted amazing for the situation he was in right now.

Tom’s shoulders relaxed as he walked over to the counter. “Tad… what is it? You texted me to come here as soon as possible.”

Bill put down the magazine and turned to face Tom, grinning. “Long time no see, Tommy.”

The man’s eyes went wide.

_ “You!”  _ Tom turned and bolted for the door. He cried out, flinching back as soon as he touched the door handle. Jimbo smiled innocently from the other side of the glass, heating the metal of the handle. Tom frantically looked around. Bill stood between him and the back exit. If he wanted to get out, he’d have to get past him.

Tom focused on Bill. His amulet glowed from under his scarf.

Bill growled as he felt his powers being suppressed. 

Tom charged at Bill, aiming to get past. Bill grabbed him and threw him against the wall. He may not be able to use magic but he was still a force to be reckoned with. Training wasn’t for nothing.

“Tad!” Tom cried out, straightening himself up. “Help me!”

“I don’t think so.” Diabo got up from behind the counter, hand reaching out, gaze focused, making Tom’s knees buckle until they pressed into the hard ground. 

Tom grit his teeth, trying to fight it.

Tad raised his hands in silent surrender.

“Gh- You won’t get away with this!” Tom’s face was red with anger, glaring daggers at Diabo. 

“Yeah we will.” Sahir rolled out from around the counter. He palmed the pan in his hand, swinging it in a wide arch until it hit it’s target, Tom’s head, with a pang.

Tom cried out, clutching his head as he crumpled to the ground completely. Bill could practically feel the pain spreading through his head. He took note to never anger Sahir while he was holding a pan. 

Tad winced, shoulders pulled up. “Okay, that was really unnecessa-”

“Hostages who talk don’t live long,” said Diabo.

Tad swallowed heavily.

Tom grunted, sitting up to the best of his abilities while rubbing his head. “What do you want from me!?”

Bill walked over, grabbing a chair and taking a seat. “We want to know a few things.”

“I’m not gonna talk!” Tom seethed through bared teeth.

Sahir threw the pan into the general direction of the counter. Tad barely caught it, less than an inch away from shattering the glass display filled with donuts. 

“We’ll see about that, coward.” Sahir swung his first and punched Tom in the face. 

His nose dripped red and he wiped at it, smearing blood over his face and hand. “You’ll regret this! Gideon will get you all! We have the angel-” Tom stopped mid sentence as if he had just realized that he was doing exactly what they wanted him to do. A dumb little sheep, way too easy to shepherd.

“Go on,” Sahir demanded.

Tom swallowed, slowly standing up. His chest straightened, displaying confidence. The determination was admirable but Bill knew it was just an act. He could tell Tom was scared to death by the way his foot twitched. “We have the angel and we’ll use her to destroy you bastards!”

Bill pursed his lips. Obviously they didn’t have the angel but Tom didn’t seem to be lying. They must’ve mistaken the angel for someone else.

“I doubt that.” Sahir hopped out of the wheelchair, floating mid-air. He cracked his knuckles, clearly not in a hurry, before he punched Tom, sending his upper body to thump against the wall. Sahir crushed his face into the bricks with a steady hand. “And?”

“A-and you stand no chance!” Tears glistened at the corners of Tom’s eyes, his breath hitching. ”We will have even more powerful amulets!”

Bill frowned. He believed it. With Ford’s blueprint, they would be incredibly strong, not to mention how many people they had compared to the Ciphers. “I think we’re done here.”

“I’m not. Is that all, scumbag?” Sahir grabbed the man and pulled him up by his collar, making a knife from behind the counter fly up.

“Sahir!” Dipper shot up and grabbed the knife, trembling. Bill frowned and stood up, ready in case something went wrong. Dipper was supposed to stay hidden. “No more harm than necessary!”

“It’s not my fault if a knife happens to impale itself into his skull!” Sahir snarled, banging Tom’s head against the wall.

“P-please!” Tom winced.

Bill pulled on Sahir’s shoulder, well aware he could probably catapult him out through the storefront if he wanted to. “Let him go.”

Sahir shrugged off Bill’s hand with a snarl, rammed Tom against the wall hard enough for his bones to crack audibly and then let him go. “This wasn’t fun at all!”

Tom grunted and coughed. He scrambled along the wall, never taking his fearful eyes off of Sahir. “W-what are you gonna do with us!?”

“Listen up. You are free to leave and live your life like you have been.” Bill stalked towards Tom, towering over him. Like a jaguar looking down at a hurt rat, too pathetic to kill. “But if you tell anyone, especially your stupidblue-suited friends about any of what happened just now, your brother is gonna lose his head.”

Bill thought Tom couldn’t be any more distressed but apparently that did the trick. “Gh- No! Tad has nothing to do with this!”

“You know what to do. Or rather what not to do.” Bill grinned. “Tad’s life is in your hands.” 

“Okay!” Tom stuttered, grasping for words. “I-I won’t talk! Please, leave him alone!”

“Excellent.” Bill nodded at Jimbo who was waiting outside. He opened the door with a smile, motioning for Tom to leave as if they were friends.

Tom looked to the door, then to Tad. Within five seconds he was gone, only leaving behind dribbles of blood on the wooden floor. Someone would have to clean that before it stained.

Bill chuckled as he walked over to Tad, slapping the man’s shoulder. “Who knew a baker could act like that?”

“Not me.” Tad sighed. “Did you really have to hurt him that bad? He probably would’ve talked if that Diabo guy just held a knife to my throat.” 

“You don’t want my knife at your throat unless you actually want to die,” said Diabo.

Bill shook his head. Diabo never left up an opportunity to shank someone. “Yeah, I wouldn’t trust him around knives.”

“I wouldn’t trust  _ you _ in general.” Sahir muttered under his breath.

Bill threw his arms up. Did Sahir think he was deaf? What the hell was their problem? He’d already explained himself. “Seriously!? Are we gonna have to discuss this again!?” 

Jimbo stepped up. “Guys, please calm down.” He motioned to Dipper with a worried expression.

**▽▽▽**

“C-can we concentrate on the issue?” Dipper sat down on a chair. “Who’s  _ the _ angel? And how is my family related to this?”

Bill glared at Sahir, then joined Dipper. He took a deep breath to try and calm all his pent up anger. He thought about wrapping an arm around him but couldn’t bring himself to do it as guilt coiled around his stomach. “It’s someone Gideon is after and I suspect he thinks it’s Mabel.”

“So if they find out they’ll let her go?” Dipper looked at him with hopeful eyes.

Knowing Gideon... “I doubt it.” 

“No witnesses. They wouldn’t want word to spread if they made a mistake,” added Diabo.

“Do I finally get to tear the hair from Gideon’s hollow noggin?” Sahir asked as he settled back into his wheelchair.

Bill wished they could do it that easily. Unfortunately, Gideon would be a challenge. He had the upper hand regarding manpower and influence. They also didn’t even know where Gideon’s base was located. “That doesn’t sound like the best plan of action.”

“Do you just wanna walk in and politely ask them to give them back?” Sahir snorted. “You know this won’t work, dumbass.”

Jimbo shot him a warning look, sitting down next to Dipper.

“And storming in won’t either. They have the blueprint now so we can expect a bunch of amulet users,” said Bill. This would complicate things even further.

“You’re saying we have to go on a rescue mission but there will be teens running around with magical powers that don’t belong to them?” Sahir asked.

“Unfortunately.”

Sahir grinned, he was probably getting excited over going on a murder spree. “Sounds like a party! When are we going?”

“When we have a plan that’s better than awful,” Diabo said, bent down under the counter, causing a lot of clattering. Tad asked him to stop touching his dishes. When Diabo came back up, he held a glass in hand and pulled out a flask, pouring himself a drink. “What is so important about those three anyways? Stan and Ford are good but replaceable. I hate Gideon but he has us outnumbered by far.”

“Maybe it's time someone stood up against him. We’ve all tolerated his tyranny and messed up morality for way too long.” Jimbo paused as if he had just realized he was the only person in the room with a morality. Except Dipper and maybe Tad. “No offense.”

“What are you suggesting, Jimbo?” Bill rubbed his chin.

“We could try to tear them down altogether if we have to break into their secret base anyways,” Jimbo said. 

Bill waited for him to smile and declare it a joke but no, Jimbo looked serious. “...I think that’s the most violent idea you ever had. I don’t think I like this version of Jimbo.”

Sahir lifted a bagel from the shelves across the room and let it float right into his mouth. Despite Tad’s protests. “Diabo wants that kid gone. You want that kid gone. Even Jimbo agrees. And most importantly, I want that kid gone. What’s stopping us?”

Bill understood why they wanted Gideon gone. They liked their freedom as much as he liked his. Gideon had banned them out of parts of the city, taxed them insanely high in exchange for  _ some _ protection. The deal had been a lot more helpful a few years back but as soon as Bill’s business shot up, Gideon had clenched his nubbly hands around their throats. Bill would like seeing him on the ground, begging for mercy and apologizing for everything he’d done. 

In case they failed, which was too likely for comfort, they would either die, be tortured and then die or possibly be turned into shiny amulets and enslaved until all eternity. Which was also death in a way. And who knew what would happen after that if they actually made it out? Gideon might get revenge. Make their lives a living hell. Kill everyone they loved. Bill could see the corpses of two women laying on a couch in a house at the side of a road just outside of Vegas. He felt sick.

There was only one other option. Bill looked to Dipper. He sat hunched over, face turned away. Wiping at his eyes ever so often. And it made Bill ache. More than anything.

This was his only chance to keep him but would it be worth it?

“... I need more time to think about this.”

**▽▽▽**

The ride back had been very silent. Dipper stared at his lap the whole time, not reacting to anything Bill said. No matter how comforting he tried to be, Dipper wouldn’t react. At one point he even started shaking like a leaf on a windy day. Bill couldn’t even begin to imagine how Dipper was feeling right now.

“They will be alright.” He wasn’t sure if that was a lie.

Since Dipper didn’t answer when Bill asked which of their places he’d rather go to, Bill decided he wouldn’t take chances to leave Dipper alone in his apartment. Gideon would figure out soon enough that it wasn’t Mabel he had been looking for. They would come for Dipper next.

Bill led Dipper into the elevator. When the doors opened to the dark hallway, Dipper clung to his arm like a baby monkey. It didn’t make him feel good like it usually would, no, he felt like someone had thrown his heart into the sea during a storm. He wanted to comfort him but he didn’t know how.

“It’s okay. We’re safe here,” Bill whispered. “The lamps are currently being replaced.”

Dipper only wrapped him tighter. Bill put an arm around him, holding Dipper to the side of his chest. With a couple of steps through darkness, Bill arrived at his door. He went inside and flipped the light switch.

Dipper sighed, grip loosening a little. 

Bill shut the door and turned his attention to Dipper. He sniffled, breathing uneven. With all that was going on, he couldn’t help the intense amount of worry he felt for Dipper. “Fear of the dark?”

Dipper nodded, face buried in Bill’s shirt. Maybe he had been afraid of being ambushed and taken like his family. 

“Well, I promise you that this is one of the most secure buildings in all of-”

“N-no it’s not that,” Dipper mumbled into the fabric. “I’m afraid of…” 

Bill suddenly understood. Darkness may be scary for some because they were afraid of being ambushed. For Dipper, much like himself, that was not the case. “...Of being left alone?”

Dipper looked up, brown eyes glistening. “How did you…?”

“It’s pretty obvious if you think about it. You’re an orphan like me and even though I was adopted when I was really young, I was still afraid of being abandoned for a long time.” Bill gently wiped away a tear from the corner of Dipper’s eye. “It’s gotten better now.”

“I-I see… S-sorry, I’m just-” He sobbed, burying his face in Bill’s shoulder.

“No, I understand.” Seeing Dipper like this hurt more than he was comfortable with. Bill raised a hand, wanting to run it through Dipper’s hair. It stiffened just half an inch away when Dipper suddenly raised his voice and clenched his fists into the fabric of Bill’s shirt.

“I-I just- Why them!? Why my family!? I only knew them for less than a month!“ Dipper’s voice broke, tears rolling down his cheeks. “If they k-kill them I’ll be alone again!”

Bill opened his mouth. _ You have me. _ Is what Bill wanted to say. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t because it made his heart ache. Because it made his stomach turn. 

Dipper snapped him out of his thoughts when he knocked the side of his first into Bill’s chest in agitation. “W-we shouldn’t be standing here doing nothing while my family could be getting killed! Bill, we need to do something!”

“I know, but it’s not that easy.” Bill wanted to help, he really did. But this wasn’t some kid they were dealing with. This was a mob boss. “Gideon isn’t just another small fish. He has a whole organization to back him up.”

“W-why can’t you just, I don't know, bail them out!?”

“Gideon doesn’t want money as much as he wants power.”

“What about the police!? Why don’t we go to them!?”

“They’re on his side, Dip-”

“No! We  _ have _ to do something!” Dipper pushed himself away from Bill, eyes hot with determination. “I’ll go get them myself if you don’t! Even if I die in the process!”

Bill lifted his arms as if to keep Dipper close. Wanting him back in his embrace. “Dipper you don’t know who you’re dealing with.”

“Then  _ help me!”  _ Dipper yelled. He watched Bill with scrutinizing eyes but the man didn’t react. Dipper’s face turned dark. Burning with anger. _ “ _ But of course  _ you _ wouldn’t care! You have your stupid casino back! You have everything, of course you couldn’t care less about my family!”

Bill stood in the room. Unsure if he had actually heard this. If this was actually happening right now. He couldn’t find words. Drowning in guilt because he knew what Dipper said was true. Or at least it had been.

An angry cry left Dipper’s throat before he stormed out through the living room, slamming the door to the balcony shut.

“Dipper!-”

**▽▽▽**

Bill felt like he had been stabbed. Right in the chest.

It was true, Bill didn’t need to worry. He didn’t have to interfere with Gideon. He shouldn’t interfere with Gideon. In fact, it would be very dumb of him to do so. They would all end up dead if they decided to fight him. Dipper, Mabel, Stan, Ford, all of his friends and Bill. They would die. 

The guilt threatened to drown him. Washing over his head every time he tried to get air. It was a stupid feeling, one he was used to surpressing to the point he had forgotten about it. But this was different. 

How could he do this to Dipper? Just standing by and watching as his family gets murdered? Or freeing them but at the expense of selling Dipper?

There was no choice. He couldn’t decide. The outcome of fighting Gideon would end in even more disaster. It was a long shot. Too far for them. They would miss and pay the price.

The old Bill wouldn’t have flashed an eyelid, deciding within a second that his company and friends were worth more than this kid he barely knew. But he wasn’t old Bill anymore. He couldn’t lose Dipper either and despite the stakes, he knew he couldn’t sell him. Not for any amount of money.

Maybe they could get Dipper’s family out another way.

Bill walked through the living room, standing behind the glass for a moment. Dipper leaned onto the railing with his arms, looking at the dark city below.

Bill slid open the door carefully, approaching Dipper. He didn’t react when Bill joined him. 

The city was like a sea of stars at night. I could almost look as if you were surrounded by space and only space. Peaceful. Exciting. Free. But it could also suck you into one of the black holes of the city. Shady bars. Gang territory. And yes, casinos.

There was no going back now. Even if it would be risky. Bill knew it was the right thing to do. “I’ll try to help.”

Dipper sighed, tracing the edge of the glass railing. His voice didn’t carry any hostility, only exhaustion. “Trying won’t be good enough.”

“Look, Gideon is dangerous. He may be younger than you and look like a clown, but he has a hunger for power that can never be satiated. He is not someone you want to mess with.”

Dipper snorted. “So what? Are we going to write him a polite letter?”

“I’m worried, Dipper. I have family as well, who knows if they’ll be safe after this?” Blood dripped down the floral couch in the house next to the road just outside of Vegas. Bill swallowed hard. He couldn’t let that happen.

That seemed to grab Dipper’s attention. He looked at Bill. “What about them?”

“My moms, I…” Bill smiled sadly. “I haven’t seen them in forever.”

“Why?”

Bill laughed. “I was a terrible kid. I mean, look at me. What am I doing with my life? How could I ever show up at their doorstep like this? I’m an honorless criminal.”

Dipper was silent for a while. His eyes flicking over Bill’s face as if he was debating something. “...I can’t deny that you’re a criminal. And I can’t deny that you don’t have the best moral compass. But you’re not honorless.”

Bill wanted to laugh but he stayed silent, staring at one of the billboards floating past. He knew Dipper would call him honorless if only he told him how he had wanted to sell him to save his own ass. Dipper didn’t know Bill. Not enough to judge him this way. 

“Bill… I see more in you than just this. You have potential to do good,” Dipper turned to face him, eyes softening.

Bill turned as well.

“And if we… really want a serious relationship… then I want you to become the best version of yourself.” Dipper hesitantly put his arms around Bill’s waist. “I want to see you shine.”

Bill was sure his heart would’ve lifted and he would’ve smiled if Dipper had said this at another time. Now, he only felt guilt swirling in his chest. “I’m not sure if we’re talking about the same person.” 

“We are.” Dipper smiled. He stood up on his tip toes and kissed Bill. “What’s for dinner?”

Bill forced a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise upload! Consider this my holiday gift from me to you.


	23. 4th of July

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to PicyKitty and Sofia_uwu for commenting on the last chapter!

Dipper went to bed early that night, melting into Bill’s pillows. Well, the ones in the guest room anyways. He didn’t want to worry Bill but he was still far from processing what had happened so he insisted on sleeping in the guestroom instead. 

Just thinking about his sister and great uncles brought tears to his eyes. He desperately hoped they would be fine. They had to be. He couldn’t lose them. Dipper sniffed, hugging his pillow close and pressing his face into it. He let it all out. All the pain. All the fear. Dipper cried until the smooth fabric was wet with tears. He cried until his eyes felt dry. Until his head felt like it was being crushed. He cried until he fell asleep. 

Nightmares plagued him so his rest was’t long. He woke up drenched in cold sweat several times, unable to fall asleep for an hour or two. The nightmares never stayed in his consciousness, luckily, but Dipper knew exactly what they revolved around. Because what else would they be about? The only thing that stayed when he woke was the gnawing feeling of loneliness and anxiety.

Once more, he faded back to sleep.

There was a dull noise. Several of them. Panging like… like…

Gunshots!? 

Dipper shot up, sweat clinging to his forehead. His breath hitched and he stiffened, his muscles ready to bolt as adrenaline filled his veins. Was Gideon coming for him? Were they going to kidnap him as well!?

Bright lights flashed outside. His eyes snapped to the window.

Fireworks.

Dipper sighed, rubbing the sweat off on his forearm. He took a deep breath, trying to lower his heart rate. He wasn’t in danger.

Alright, enough of this. He wasn’t gonna get any sleep. Dipper threw the sheets off of himself, grabbed his phone with shaky hands and turned on the flashlight. Carefully, he set his feet onto the ground. He stumbled through the apartment, careful not to run into the expensive furniture. Flinching whenever a firework went off. 

Bill’s door creaked open and Dipper snuck inside. Bill laid wrapped around a pillow, half way on his stomach. His muscular back and hundreds of scars were illuminated by the fireworks. How many fights had he been in? How much had he survived?

Dipper didn’t want to wake Bill, he rarely ever looked so calm. He lifted the warm blanket, sliding under it slowly. He pulled the pillow from Bill’s arms, replacing it with himself. Maybe not the most subtle but Bill was warm. Warm and safe. Possibly also nightmare reducing. 

Finally, Dipper could rest. Sleep 

He woke to the smell of baked goods, maybe more waffles, wrapped in Bill’s sheets. The spot next to him was empty and Dipper felt a bit sad. He’d liked some morning cuddles but breakfast sounded great too.

Dipper grabbed his phone from the night stand. 9:00AM, 4th of July. 

_ 4th of July. _ He totally forgot what day it was but given the circumstances, that was reasonable. 

Dipper grabbed his clothes from the guest room and went to the kitchen where Bill was busy cooking. “What are we eating today?” 

“More waffles. I still had some of the ingredients from last time so I thought why not use them up to try new ones?” Bill chopped fruit. “Slept well? I’d assume you had the best sleep by the way you snuggled yourself against me.”

“I couldn’t sleep so I thought I’d come over to you. I hope that wasn’t an issue.” And honestly, it had been a great decision. Bill turned out to be very comfortable.

Bill laughed. “No, not at all! You looked cute against my chest.”

Dipper blushed. “Shut up, asshole.”

“I know you like me, Pine Tree.” Bill put the fruit on the table. “So, will you come with me tonight? We planned a party at the casino.”

Originally, Dipper had agreed to come with Mabel and the Stans but... He pushed those thoughts out of his head. For one day. Just one. “Yeah, I’ll come.”

After breakfast, Bill left to get some exercise while Dipper stayed in his apartment, relaxing in the jacuzzi and getting the sleep he missed that night. Bill woke him in the afternoon and they paid a quick visit to Dipper’s place to get some clothes. Aeon wished them a nice day and Dipper scolded Bill for not returning the favor.

The casino was absolutely packed when they arrived. People pushing against people. Shouting. Loud music. His ears rang and someone stepped on his foot. He couldn’t wait to go somewhere more private.

**▽▽▽**

Bill escorted Dipper to the back of the casino after he was done with his speech about how _ oh so _ great their country is and what glory they had achieved. They entered his lounge, the other Cipher’s waiting already. He was excited to forget about everything and just have a fun night with all of his favorite people and some drinks in hand.

“Happy 4th of July!” Dipper shouted. He ran over, hugging everyone. Even Diabo who looked very perplexed but didn’t stab him like when Bill tried to hug the man that one time. 

To be honest, it was surprising Sahir and Diabo decided to show up at all, knowing Bill would be here. He expected them to go off on their own. Not that he would have wanted them to. 

“A happy day that brings us closer to the apocalypse, my friends!” Bill exchanged a hug with Jimbo. “Let’s go outside. The fireworks will start soon.”

“I’m surprised you guys even celebrate. I would've thought you didn’t care.” Dipper walked to the balcony and Bill followed. The air was milder than usual, still polluted by smog of course. You weren’t in New Vegas if there was no smog.

“America’s a big pile of trash but this is a great excuse to party!” Sahir lifted himself onto the glass railing. He already almost fell down once. Luckily he could make himself float for a short time.

“I wish I didn’t have to agree with you.” Bill stood next to Dipper, arms leaning onto the glass.

Sahir's expression instantly turned sour. “Then don’t, bastard.”

“Are you still not over the funds thing?” Jimbo settled between Bill and Sahir. 

Sahir groaned, rolling his eyes. “I will consider getting over it when we have our money. I came here to enjoy myself so change of topic.”

“I’ll get some drinks.” Bill turned and went inside. There was no point in talking to Sahir if he kept acting like an upset baby. Bill walked around the bar, fishing out a few bottles of liquor and syrup. He poured the glasses with expertise. Maybe this would help to lighten the mood. 

Bill placed the glasses on a silver plate and walked back to the balcony. The fireworks already started, their lights blooming above them and falling like stars. 

Dipper’s silhouette stood out to Bill. He was talking to Jimbo before he noticed Bill’s stare and turned.

Dipper smiled at Bill. His heart skipped.

Bill had made his decision. He couldn’t sell him. He couldn’t do this to him. Or Mabel. The older twins. Jimbo. Dipper had a way to weasel himself into everyone’s hearts. Hell, even Sahir and Diabo were somewhat friendly with him now.

Bill couldn’t give him up. Even if he found out about his original plan. Dipper would probably never forgive him for using him like he had. But he didn’t need to find out. This could stay a secret for only Bill to know.

Bill joined Dipper, setting their glasses on a table. “This one’s for you. Sweet and not so strong.”

“Thank you, babe,” Dipper took the glass, grinning like a dork, and drank. Bill questioned if he had already had a drink or two.

He pulled up a brow. “Babe?”

“Yeah. You don’t like it?”Dipper took another sip, looking at Bill innocently.

Bill snorted. “I feel like I’m not the demographic of people to call babe.”

“Well, I’m not the demographic of people to call Pine Tree.”

“You got me there.”

A bright blue firework went off above them. They both gazed up. 

Dipper stopped closer to Bill. “It’s so weird how they can be so pretty yet dangerous.”

Bill hummed. “Very deceptive. You wouldn’t want a firework to go off in your face.”

Dipper took Bill’s hand and smiled at him. Bill couldn’t help but smile back. They would get through this. Together.

Dipper leaned forward and Bill wanted to lean in. Kiss him. But this nagging feeling wouldn’t leave him alone. He didn’t like how familiar the guilt felt to him now. But no. Bill wouldn’t let his life be dictated by his past. He was working to fix things. He didn’t need to feel guilty.

A hand brushed over his cheek. Dipper looked worried. “Are you okay?”

“I- Yeah.”

He would be.  _ They  _ would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this might be the shortest chapter but given that i already updated twice this week i think that's fair! Maybe you'll get another one for New Years C:


	24. Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to xx_hxneybee_xx and Picy Kitty for commenting on the previous chapter! And special thanks to kinelisgarba on Insta who reached out to me with some super nice fanart!

Dipper fumbled around in his pocket to get out the right key. He had asked Bill to bring him home during the early morning to check on Aeon. Bill didn’t want to let him go at first, being afraid that Gideon found his address. He only allowed it under the condition that Bill waited outside until Dipper texted him as soon as he was inside. He also demanded him to text him before he went to sleep but given the circumstances this was probably for the better. Dipper yawned, finally fishing out the right key. He went to grab the doorknob and unlock the door. 

It was already open. The room was lulled in black and Dipper wasn’t able to make out anything. This wasn’t unusual. Aeon didn’t need lights to find his way around and it was also hard for him to notice the door not being closed properly. It happened several times before. Dipper pulled his phone out, sending Bill a quick thumbs up.

“Aeon..?” Dipper stepped into the darkness just as far as he had to to turn on the lights. “You left the door open.”

His hand tapped along the wall until his fingers touched the switch. Click. 

The livingroom and kitchen looked like an absolute warfield. Pillow stuffing piled the floor like carnage, broken dishes made the ground cutting hazard and one of his favorite potted plants had tipped over right into their TV. And was that  _ blood _ ?

What the heck happened here!?

“Aeon? Please tell me Per did this.” His voice wavered as he shut the door. There was no reply. Maybe Aeon was sleeping and Per got scared by the fireworks outside. He swallowed hard, his gut tightening. It was still too early to panic. He was sure there was a perfectly normal explanation to this.

Dipper carefully stepped over the broken dishes to check Aeon’s room which he found to be in the exact state he’d seen it in. Except nobody was there. Maybe he fell asleep in the bathtub? That wasn’t a very Aeon thing to do but...

Dipper knocked on the bathroom door several times, holding his breath in fear he might overhear Aeon if he spoke too quietly. But no, all he could hear was his own rigid breathing and his rapidly increasing heartbeat.

The bathroom door was yanked open and Dipper checked the bathtub and shower, both of which were empty. His throat felt dry. Dipper turned to the hallway, his eyes starting to burn. He couldn’t be gone. He couldn’t be. “Aeon where are you!? This isn’t funny anymore!”

Maybe he went out for a late night walk. There had to be an explanation!

He checked every closet. Under their beds. He checked the shower multiple times, but Aeon was nowhere to be found. He went back to the living room in hopes Aeon would magically sit on the couch with their dog in his arms like he always did. The couch was empty and cold except for a single piece of torn fabric. The cloth was dyed a bright blue.

“Aeon…” Dipper sobbed. He didn’t even care when his knees hit the hard floor. Curled up into a ball of despair, pulling a nearby pillow that was halfway gutted close, Dipper cried. 

His family was gone and now Aeon was too. Taken by the Gleefuls. Why Aeon? What did he do? What had he done to deserve that?

What if he never saw them again? How badly had Dipper treated Aeon? Why had he yelled at him so much when Aeon only tried to make things right? Dipper cared so much about Aeon, even if the romantic things between them had ended. They were good friends and what had become of them? What had Dipper made them?

He should’ve done something. He should’ve been there for Aeon. For his family. What if they were dead because of him? He had done  _ NOTHING  _ to protect ANYONE. And now everyone he cared about was gone. He was alone. And it was all his fault.

Dipper threw his fist into the pillow. He cried out. Punching again and again until his muscles complained and lungs hurt. He sobbed, tears staining his face.

A whine came from under the couch.

Dipper perked up and wiped at his eyes to look around. “...Per?” 

A longer whine. Per crawled out from under the couch, ears flat and tail tucked in. She whimpered as she approached him, limping on her hind leg.

“I’m sorry, baby.” Dipper wiped off his tears, embracing her. “I got you hurt as well, didn’t I…?”

She licked his face. Normally Dipper would’ve at least chuckled. Not today. Not tomorrow. Maybe not ever again. He had failed his family. The people he loved and cared for the most. How could he ever be happy again? How could he live on, knowing  _ this _ was his fault?

His depressing thoughts drifted, eyelids feeling heavier with each minute and before Dipper knew it, he slipped into unconsciousness.

He had the same dream he always had when he felt bad. Waking up to his sibling. Mabel. Her running through the door to their parents. Them leaving without him and shutting the door. Him being alone in the dark.

Except it was different this time. 

  
  


_ He was alone. Surrounded only by darkness. Coldness pricked at his skin. Sometimes he could see eyes glinting in the darkness. Hungry and predatory. Only waiting for him to blink.  _

_ Dipper didn’t blink. He never did out of fear that they would jump him, tearing his body apart and savoring his flesh.He felt helpless. Like he would spend his entire lifetime in this darkness. Unmoving and freezing. Alone and afraid. Isolated from the ones he loved. Isolated from the rest of the world. Surrounded by hungry monsters.  _

_ But maybe someone would rescue him. _

_ Days went by. Maybe months. Years. Or only seconds.  _

_ A fear rested deep in his gut. What if that someone arrived? What if that someone pretended to help him? What if that someone betrayed him, throwing him to the beasts who’s eyes still watched him from the shadows. _

_ He wanted it to end. To stop. He shouted into the dark. He might as well just close his eyes and let the monsters have their meal. _

_ Dipper heard something. A voice. A dark chuckle. _

_ “Don’t you think you deserve this?” It was Aeon.  _

_ “W-what? No, of course I don’t!” _

_ “You weren’t there for me,” Aeon said, his usually monotone voice thick with betrayal. “All your life you were so obsessed with your family even though they weren’t here. What about me? How did you repay me for all I’ve done for you? By yelling at me?” _

_ Dipper stuttered. He wanted to tell him he was wrong. To disprove him. But truth be told, he couldn’t. Aeon had a point. This was his fault. All of it.  _

_ “You deserve to suffer.” _

_ “I do…” Dipper said. But was that true? It came off his lips so easily but it felt off.  _

_ Was that a light in the distance? _

_ “Don’t be foolish. What did you do for the ones you love? They’re not with you anymore, are they?” Aeon sneered. _

_ The light snuffed out. _

_ No. They weren’t with him anymore. But that wasn’t his fault. Aeon would never accuse him like this. Aeon cared for Dipper as much as he cared for him. This wasn’t real. _

_ The light grew brighter and Dipper reached out, warmth spreading over his hand where the light touched his skin. It made him feel at ease. The monsters could glare all they wanted but he was safe with the light. _

_ He could hear another voice. Faint and distant.  _

_ “Dipper, you have done so much. You dedicated your life to other people. You saw the light in me when I didn’t even know I had it.”  _

_ “Bill…” _

“Dipper? Dipper!”

Dipper woke up with his face buried in fur and his ears ringing.

“Ah- damn.” He got up, his whole body aching from sleeping on the floor.

Bill kneeled in front of him, frantically grabbing his arms and turning them, making Dipper wince.

“H-hey, what are you doing!?”

“Checking for wounds!” Bill’s look of distress eased when he didn’t find any injuries on Dipper. “What the hell happened!?”

_ Aeon _ . Dipper sobbed, trying his best to hold back his tears. Aeon was gone. Despite his best efforts, he started crying again. “T-they have him as well.”

Bill stared at him in disbelief. “You’re joking, right?”

“I-I wish.”

Bill embraced him, stroking his hand over his back. Dipper clung to him as if his life depended on it whimpering and sobbing as Bill whispered sweet nothings into his ear. 

“Why- why  _ him? _ What did he do!?” Dipper gripped Bill’s shirt. “It’s because of me, i-isn’t it!? They just got him because I wasn’t home!”

Bill pulled back, looking into Dipper’s eyes. It was hard to make out Bill’s shape with how blurry Dipper’s vision was. Dipper rubbed at his eyes, sniffling.

Bill sighed. 

“What is it?” Dipper asked, blinking to get a better view of the man’s face.

“I’m afraid Aeon kept a few secrets.”

Aeon never kept secrets from him. Dipper frowned. And why would Bill know? “What do you mean?”

“Shermie sent Aeon to look after you. And Aeon is not a normal human either, he has powers too. He works like a living amplifier for someone else's powers. Gideon must’ve known or found out somehow.”

A punch to the gut, that’s how this felt like. Had Dipper been even more alone than he realized? All of their shared moments of joy just an illusion? Did Aeon never actually care for him? He might never get the answers. Dipper collapsed against Bill and cried silently. 

**▽▽▽**

Bill and Dipper arrived at the apartment at around 4AM. They were safe here. For now. They sat down on the bed and Dipper cried into his shoulder. Bill had severely underestimated how much one single person could cry but he stayed with him for every second of it. Bill felt horrible seeing him like this but there was nothing he could do right now besides hoping Dipper’s family and Aeon were still alive. He would have to set things in motion as soon as possible to plan how to find and rescue them. If his friends agreed to help, that is. 

Eventually, Dipper calmed down, only sniffling every now and then. They had been cuddling since and it was about 6AM.

Bill stroked through Dipper’s hair, combing the messy curls carefully. “Why don’t you try to sleep?”

“No…” Dipper croaked. He sounded absolutely terrible due to all the crying. He must’ve been incredibly tired. “I’ll only get more nightmares.”

Bill rubbed a finger over Dipper’s cheek, just below the dark circles before sliding it into his hair to cup the side of his head. “I could wake you up when I notice you getting worked up.”

Dipper put his hand onto Bill’s but shook his head. “That’s sweet of you but I don’t want to sleep.”

“Alright.” He wanted to pull Dipper closer. Lean in and kiss Dipper’s forehead. A sweet gesture of affection. But he hesitated. He shouldn’t feel guilty. His decisions had been made.

“You seem distant recently…” Dipper looked at him, eyes shining with fresh tears. “Did I do something wrong?”

“What!? No, of course not!” 

Dipper pulled up a brow, sceptical.

It wasn’t Dipper who had done anything wrong. He wished he could reassure him. “It really isn’t you. There’s just a lot going on right now…”

Dipper frowned, his hand sliding off of Bill’s. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

“It’s nothing.” 

Dipper sighed. “Fine. Be like that, I guess.” He wound himself out of Bill’s embrace and turned away. 

Bill’s chest pain told him it was time to get up.

**▽▽▽**

Dipper laid in bed most of the day until Bill dragged him out but Dipper found a loophole and picked a comfortable spot on the couch, surrounded by pillows while Bill was cooking. His thoughts kept going on and on and on, spiralling over the dream he had, trying to avoid thinking about where his loved ones were. He didn’t cry anymore. He already cried so much that he couldn’t. 

And then there was the topic of Bill acting strange. He had been withdrawing, seeming uncomfortable when Dipper wanted to kiss him. The look in his eye shifting from warmth to something Dipper couldn’t define. What was Bill keeping from him? And why? Then again, it wasn’t like anything could make this situation worse.

Per came over to cheer him up. She jumped up and- wait, she jumped? Hadn’t she been wounded? Dipper petted her, gently inspecting her leg. No. Nothing. Not a scratch. But he was convinced she was limping yesterday.

“What are you doing?”

Dipper flinched. He hadn’t noticed Bill walking out of the kitchen. “I… wasn’t Per wounded when you picked me up?”

Bill froze. “Was she?”

He definitely knew something. Dipper frowned. “Bill, I’m not dumb. I know you’re hiding something.”

Bill sighed, walking over and taking a seat on the couch. “Alright but promise not to be mad.”

Mad? Whatever Bill had been hiding must’ve been very important so Dipper couldn’t really promise how he’d react. “Okay?”

“Remember when we were talking about the angel? The powerful one that Gideon mistook for Mabel?”

Dipper wasn’t sure where this was going. “Yes?”

“I’ve known who it is for a while now.” Bill reached to pet Per. “Even before the casino heist.”

“For how long?” Dipper didn’t quite understand. Gideon wanted angels for his amulets and even paid for them so logically an angel that powerful would make for a huge sum. Not that Dipper would want this for anyone but it didn’t make sense. Back then Bill would likely not have cared about the morality of selling someone. Unless…

Did Bill know them better than just their name and face? Were they friends or even more? Dipper’s chest felt tight all of the sudden. Was Bill with someone else behind Dipper’s back? He remembered that foreign letter he found in Bill’s car, now lying buried under paperwork on Dipper’s desk. Was it a love letter after all? “Why didn’t you sell them to Gideon? Wouldn’t that have solved your problems?”

Bill smiled. It wasn’t a happy smile nor was it sad. It was a smile filled with mixed feelings and a dash of irony. “It would have but I couldn’t.”

Dipper hated the way he felt. His chest filled with poison and his stomach twisting uncomfortably. Who could’ve meant that much to him? Could  _ still _ mean that much to him? “ _ Why _ ?”

“Because the angel....” Bill’s eyes snapped to Dippers. Golden like the sun and blue like the sea. “...is you.”

Dipper stared at Bill, his brain refusing to work properly as it repeated his words. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.”

An exhausted laugh left Dipper’s throat as he slapped a hand over his face. And he had thought Bill was cheating on him when it had been himself all along! Dipper rubbed the hand over his face as his laugh turned into a chuckle. Bill could have sold him back then to get his casino back. Just like that. But he hadn’t. And he could have sold him right when Gideon told him he had doubled his loans. Dipper’s hand came to rest on his cheek, a silent smile spreading over his face. Sure, it was a weird thing to be happy about but it meant Bill cared. He cared so deeply that he was willing to risk his whole company, heck, his entire  _ life _ for him. 

Dipper knew he should be angry right now. Or a little upset. But he couldn’t find anything besides a subtle warmth within himself. “Why did you not tell me?”

Bill squinted at him as if he was waiting for something.

“What?”

“Huh… You’re... actually not mad? I’m just surprised with how calm you are considering you’re  _ the _ angel, super powerful and all,” Bill said. “I was afraid Gideon and his minions would find out if I told anyone.”

Wait. If he was  _ the _ angel wasn’t he supposed to have magic? Dipper looked at his hands in confusion. “But I don’t even have magic. I can’t be the angel!”

“Remember the wound on my hand that I got from frying the cables on the night of the masquerade? It should still be visible, right?”

Dipper nodded. Bill lifted his hand, palm facing up. 

Dipper couldn’t believe his eyes. It was healed perfectly. Not a single scratch. No scarring. Nothing.

“What!? How is this possible? Shouldn’t this have taken at least a month to heal?” Dipper grabbed it, stroking his fingers over Bill’s dark skin.

“It should’ve. But when you bandaged my hand you accidentally also healed it. With magic.” Bill grinned. “You’ve gone a long time without noticing, huh?”

This made so much sense it was scary. He remembered all the times animals had gotten hurt at the shelter, some never showed symptoms, some healed weirdly fast. But not always. He himself seemed to heal faster than anyone else but he always just brushed it off as genetics. Which was still true, in a way. “I guess it does make sense why animals always heal faster when I’m not on vacation.”

Bill pulled up a brow. “You’re never on vacation.”

Dipper smiled. “Shush! So I have healing magic, yes?”

“Yes, but I suspect there’s more to it. I think you may have the ability to influence people’s emotions.”

“How?”

“I’m not sure but whenever you’re upset, angry, happy etc I get a spark of it.”

Dipper grinned. “Bill I think that’s called empathy.”

Bill rolled his eyes with an amused smile. “Very funny. It only works if you touch me.”

“You may have a point… People do get more compliant when I touch them but I thought that was just… a normal thing?” He could still remember the first time he saw Mabel at the reception of the casino. She wouldn’t let him in until he grabbed her hand.

“I mean, I have the same effect on people but usually they just get horny.”

Dipper scooted over to hug Bill’s arm. “Too bad because you’re mine now.”

“You wanna keep me all to yourself? Sharing is caring!” Bill grinned, giving Dipper a kiss that made his stomach flutter. 

Hopefully this was really everything Bill had been keeping to himself because Dipper really missed this. But he had to ask. Just in case. “Is that all you wanted to tell me? I don’t want to have all these secrets in between us.”

Bill paused for a while. “No. That’s all.”

“Good.” He cuddled against Bill, watching him in content. 

Bill stroked through his hair, fingernails grazing over his scalp just enough to make Dipper’s hairs stand. “I can offer to train you with magic if you want. If we want to take on Gideon we’re going to need all the power we can get.”

Dipper perked up, tugging on Bill’s shirt. This was what he had wanted for so long. “Please!”

Bill laughed. “Someone’s excited.”

“When are we starting!?”

“Now, if you want to.”

**▽▽▽**

Turned out magic was actually very hard to control, even if Dipper had done it before. They started out working with plants, trying to heal cuts and wounds from insects. Dipper was pretty confident he could do this with ease, seeing as he had healed bigger wounds on animals and humans before without even trying to. 

The problem was, his subconscious had a much better grasp on it than the conscious which made it very frustrating. Nothing he tried to do worked and at one point he started to doubt he had any powers in the first place. Maybe he was just being delusional. By this point, Dipper was ready to give up and cry some more. 

But not before he was pulled into a warm hug by Bill. “Don’t be disappointed. This takes a lot of time and the rest of us have been doing it for a long time.”

Dipper pouted, hugging Bill back. “When did you start?”

“When I was still a child.”

Dipper hummed. He never really thought about what it must’ve been like to grow up with powers like these, especially if they were more flashy than healing like being able to throw lightning or fire around. Bill’s parents must’ve had an interesting experience. “What about your moms? Are they human?”

“Oh yeah. And they were very  _ shocked _ to find out their little toddler could zap all the energy in the house when they didn’t feed him cinnamon rolls.” Bill grinned.

Dipper chuckled. “I’m sure that was fun. I can’t imagine what your electrical bill must’ve cost.”

“Yeah...” Bill’s expression dropped, his hold on Dipper loosening. Had he said something wrong? Dipper still couldn’t really understand why Bill had such a weird attitude towards his parents.

“Why don’t you go visit them?” Dipper wound his arms around Bill’s neck, playing with the gelled hair at the back of his head. “You should be happy you have them.”

“I don’t know if they’d even want to see me…” Bill didn’t leave time for Dipper to answer. “Let's get back to training.”

Dipper wouldn’t let him off the hook that easily.

**▽▽▽**

Later that day, Bill went to go make his decision official. He would attempt to sneak in, with or without help, and get the Pines out. He would try to do Gideon as much damage as possible and Dipper would stay with them.

He met his friends- acquaintances since he wasn’t on the best terms with Sahir and Diabo- in the lounge at the Mindscape, Dipper taking a stand beside him. He waited for them to settle down. When Sahir cleared his throat, pointedly looking at the clock, Bill began to talk.

“I’ve decided that we should try kicking Gideon off his high horse. It’s a very ambitious idea so I understand if any of you want to back out.” He looked at Sahir and Diabo specifically.

“Back out? Fuck no!” Sahir threw his fist in the air. “I’ll gladly shred that kid and his mindless minions into my dinner!” 

“Double up on that,” said Cable who leaned back into his chair as if this was no big deal.

“You made the right decision.” Jimbo smiled at him, then at Dipper. “I’ll help out wherever I can.”

Bill looked at Diabo, the others following his gaze. 

The man grunted. “...Fine. I’m ditching you if it goes wrong. But I’m not doing this for you. Turns out Gideon was the one starting to sell  _ our _ formula and I want him gone as fast as possible.”

“I’m helping too!” said Dipper.

“Don’t make me laugh, you’ll be a tasty little snack for them.” Sahir turned to Bill. “Don’t tell me we’re actually taking him with us.”

“We’re taking him with us. I’ve been training him, he can heal wounds.” Well… sometimes. They were still working on it and Dipper was far from perfect.

Sahir rolled his eyes. “Alright but I’m not gonna babysit him.”

They discussed known locations Gideon owned that could potentially hold a secret base with a laboratory. This far they knew about several warehouses dotted throughout the city and a few bureau buildings that could fit the bill. They divided into groups to check out the most promising ones.

“Don’t forget me,” said Dipper when they were just about done discussing.

Bill honestly didn’t want to take Dipper with them. This would be dangerous and they couldn’t risk Dipper being captured. “Dipper, you don’t have to come with us everywhere. We can handle this and you’ll only get into trouble.”

“Bill, we had this talk before, remember?”

Bill swallowed. The fight at the black market. He still felt the sweat running down his body as he pinned Dipper down. That memory did something to him. It made his blood boil and not with anger. The way Dipper looked up at-

“I can practice my powers if you let me come,” said Dipper.

That was actually a good point. Bill already knew Dipper would insist to come with him on the rescue mission and a bit of less risky field practice couldn’t hurt. “Alright but be careful.”

**▽▽▽**

A day later, after some more training, a change of clothes and a short ride, Dipper and Bill arrived at a warehouse in the industrial sector of the city. It was hard to make out many details in the dim light of the street lamps but it looked worn, like it was a couple of years old but not kept well. Not much was going on yet. Barely anyone worked at this time so while sneaking in was not an issue, Dipper still felt like his heart might burst with adrenaline any second.

The warehouse was filled with wooden and metal crates. Only a dozen people roamed around the whole place. Dipper and Bill hid behind the boxes, changing location when nobody was looking. 

“This looks like a normal warehouse to me,” whispered Dipper.

“It does on the surface. Keep your eyes open for anything unusual.”

Dipper nodded and they moved on. A couple of workers walked past, they chatted about coffee and the weather.

“Do you see that one? With the brown hair?” Bill asked.

Indeed. The man wore the same uniform as everybody else, so what was special about him? “Yeah? What about him?”

“Look at his collar.”

“His collar?” The jacket he wore hid most of it but there was something stuffed under there. It glinted in blue. “Is that… an amulet?”

“Exactly. He must know something about the base.”

“So we corner him?”

Bill grinned, patting his shoulder. “You’re becoming more savage, I like it.” 

They watched the man separate from the others and went after him, careful to stay hidden. Finally, he entered a smaller storage room laden with a myriad of shelves that had various bottles and tanks atop. They followed him on silent feet and Bill gently closed the door behind them. 

Bill stepped forward, electricity on his palms. “Whatever powers you have, keep them to yourself or I will fry you.”

The man flinched and faced them. “What do you want!? I have no money, please-”

“We’re not here for money. We’re here for information,” said Dipper as sternly as he could manage while being very much scared himself. “What do you know about the location where Gideon produces the amulets?”

“Amulets? What amulets?”

Bill zapped the ground in front of the man who jumped, holding his arms up as if they could protect him. “We’re not blind, idiot.”

“I won’t tell you anything! Gideon will have me gutted!”

“And I’ll have you  _ electrocuted. _ Pick your poison.”

Not on Dipper’s watch. He put a hand on Bill’s shoulder. “Let me try.”

Bill’s expression and posture relaxed instantly and he backed off. Wow, his powers had actually been working subconsciously, huh? How many times had he been doing this without knowing? Anyways.

Dipper approached the man, hand outstretched. If he could do this to Bill he could do it to this man too. “I won’t hurt you, I just want you to tell me where the laboratory is.”

“No! I won’t tell you!” The man backed up against a wall between two shelves.

Dipper reached out to grab him but he dodged, reached for his amulet and threw it right at Dipper’s forehead. A dull pain blossomed over his skull. “Ouch! What the heck!?”

Bill pulled his gun. Shooting once. Twice. No- The man yelped, grabbing his reddening shirt sleeve before he bolted out the back door. Bill charged after him. 

There was no doubt Bill would kill him if Dipper didn’t do anything. He was not going to let that happen. Dipper bolted past Bill. He barely managed to block the door from him with his body. “BILL NO!”

Bill lowered his gun and looked at him in annoyance. “Let me get him, Dipper!”

But Dipper stayed on his ground. “I thought we were past this! I won’t let you kill this man! He didn’t do anything to deserve it!”

Bill made a noise at the back of his throat before pushing past Dipper. The man should be well out of reach by now. “He’s going to tell Gideon we were there and he’ll know we're coming! We can’t have witnesses!”

Dipper opened his mouth to object but he found that Bill was right. But this was no excuse for murder. They wouldn’t be any better than Gideon himself. “You wounded that man! You would’ve killed him if I hadn’t stepped in!”

Bill groaned, grabbing Dipper’s arm and dragging him out. “We have no time for this! Let’s just go before we get stormed.”

Bill brought them to the car, driving through the city without a word being shared. The tension between them palpable but Dipper didn’t know what to say. This trip could have certainly gone better.

Bill shoved his phone into Dipper’s hands. “Call the other’s.”

Dipper sighed but scrolled through Bill’s phone to call their conference group. It rang twice before someone picked up.

“That was fast. Don’t tell me we need to come fight you out,” Sahir said in his best snarky tone.

“No, you don’t but we have a witness.” Bill frowned, taking a very sharp turn around the corner which left Dipper nauseous. “Gideon will know we’re coming and with every passing day, he’ll be more prepared for us. We need to find their base. Fast.”

“Oh great! What did I say about taking Dip-”

Dipper hung up the call. He was not in the mood to listen to Sahir’s ‘told you so’.

Bill sighed very loudly. “Great. Now Sahir thinks I’m making dumb decisions. Thanks, Dipper.”

Dipper lifted his shoulders. “How is this my fault!? You  _ shot _ at a man! I couldn’t just have let you kill him!”

“Well goal accomplished but at what cost!? I thought your family was more important to you than some random Gleeful henchman!” Bill pulled into the Mindscape parking lot less than gently and Dipper was very glad their drive had been so short.

“My family is important to me but I value every life!” Dipper yelled. “I thought you were beyond this!”

“I wish I would’ve paid better attention, so you wouldn’t complain about your stupid family all the time! Without me you wouldn’t even know them!” Bill slapped the wheel of the car, glaring at Dipper. “Fucking hell!”

Paid better attention…? “What do you mean?”

Bill froze. “Nothing.”

“Tell me,” Dipper demanded. “I’ve had enough of your secrets so tell me!”

Bill didn’t say anything for a while, just staring at Dipper. When Dipper was about to speak up, Bill’s gaze shifted, deep regret reflecting on the surface. “The day you first met Mabel and the twins… It was an accident. I was planning to introduce you later. Or maybe not at all.”

All this time Dipper thought that was one of the major moments of change in Bill. Actually bringing him together with his family, an act Bill knew meant so much to Dipper, when in fact, he had wanted the opposite. But Dipper wasn’t surprised. This was just how Bill was. And he hadn’t even had the courage to tell him about it. Not even when Dipper asked him if he had any more secrets to tell. How could he ever trust Bill?

Dipper let out a single, bitter chuckle before he opened the car door.

“Dipper-”

“No. I don’t want to talk to you right now.” Dipper pushed himself out of the car and slammed the door shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yall better have a good start into 2021, may that bitch be better than this year. We really deserve it smh smh smh


	25. Twins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My thanks go out to skybymyself, PicyKitty and drinkyourspoiledmilk for commenting on the previous chapters! I hope you all had a nice start into January.

Bill and Dipper didn’t talk after that for the whole way back. It felt like a pile of rocks lifting off of Dipper’s back when he entered the conference room. He couldn’t believe he was excited to see Diabo and Sahir for once. The latter was perched on a desk next to the window, several notebooks filled with scribbles and what looked like letter combinations. Chemical formulas perhaps?

As soon as Diabo’s scrutinizing gaze fell onto him, Dipper changed his mind. He wasn’t happy about seeing anyone. “Why did you leave a witness?”

Bill entered the room. “Well, _ I _ would’ve taken him out.”

Diabo lifted his brows. 

“I protected an innocent man from getting killed,” Dipper said with confidence. “He did not deserve to die.”

Sahir shot Bill a look from the desk he sat on. “Told ya.”

Dipper was about to defend himself but Diabo’s voice overshadowed his. “Stop this kindergarten bullshit. Gideon called.”

“Oh?” Bill leaned against the wall. “What did he want? Another threat to give him the money?”

“He asked for a meeting with his representatives to discuss cutting what you owe him. The condition is that you bring Dipper with you.” Diabo sounded a little too enthusiastic for Dipper’s likes. 

Were they planning to get rid of him? Dipper looked to Bill, wishing they hadn’t just had this dumb fught. Surely Bill wouldn’t agree to this obvious hoax.

But Bill pushed himself away from the wall, his signature grin returning to his face. “Perfect! Time and place?”

Dipper sprung up. “You’re not gonna sell me, are you!?”

Bill paused, then laughed. Dipper didn’t like this at all. This wasn’t funny. “Of course not. That would be an absurd idea.”

Dipper wasn’t sure if he could trust Bill anymore. All he knew was that he didn’t want to go there with him.

“The bureau building of one of the Northwest companies, Silverstreet 94 at 5PM today.”

“You can’t actually be wanting to go there, it’s obviously a trap. You’ll get yourselves killed,” Sahir said. “Not that I’d care but I’m still waiting on the money.”

“I know, but what better way to get information than from Gideon’s representatives? We can overpower them.” Bill walked over to the table, leaning onto it with his arms.

“And how exactly do you want to pull that off?” Diabo asked. “You know they will have someone in the room to block your abilities.”

“What if… someone else comes with me then?” Dipper suggested.

“They’re not going to let anyone else in, dumbass,” Sahir said. “Bill you’re supposed to eat his ass, not his brain.”

Dipper felt the blood rush into his face, more from anger than from feeling flustered. He did not want to think about sleeping with Bill right now. 

He expected Bill to make an annoying, flirty remark but to his surprise, Bill acted as if he hadn't heard that last part besides giving Sahir a pointed glare. 

“Obviously they won’t let anyone else in,” Bill said. “Gideon himself won’t be there, right?”

A nod from Diabo.

“How likely is it that we know his representatives?”

“What’s your point?”

“They won’t let anyone in who isn’t me.” Bill grinned as looked over at Diabo. “But only if they _ know _ it isn’t me.” 

Dipper didn’t quite catch his drift but then he looked at the two. Dark skin, blonde hair, heterochromatic eyes. Any stranger would barely be able to tell the two apart. 

Diabo glared at Bill. “I’m not gonna pretend to be you.”

“Have a better plan?”

“...No.”

**▽▽▽**

Dipper studied the plans of the building which Cable had provided for the best escape route. Meanwhile, Bill messed up Diabo’s hair to the point they actually looked like twins. He didn’t even have to change clothes since both of them wore suits that probably cost a lot more than Dipper’s rent. He would’ve liked to be a bit more prepared but the afternoon went by in a hurry and 5PM approached rapidly.

Bill drove them to their neutral meeting spot, a bureau building with an exterior mainly made from glass that has an odd slope to one side. Some architects and rich people Dipper would never understand.

“Are you ready?” Bill turned around to Diabo and Dipper. “Diabo if you want to sell that you’re me you need to look a lot more approachable. Grin!”

Diabo exhaled, putting on a very big grin. Too big and too dead inside. Dipper snorted. He looked like one of those over the top psychopaths from old movies. 

Bill sighed, shaking his head. “No, scratch that. Try smiling.”

“Seriously? Why did I even agree to this?” Diabo asked.

“Because you wanna kick this annoying, white-haired kid’s ass. Now SMILE!”

Diabo smiled with his mouth but his eyes showed pure annoyance. It looked very wrong. 

“Maybe try acting like a dumbass,” Dipper suggested with a smile of his own.

That got Diabo to snort. The smile looked more genuine now. Bill was the one who frowned. He reminded Dipper a bit of a pouting child. “Hey, I’m smart!”

Dipper laughed. He remembered the day they first met very well. None of them would be here right now if Bill hadn’t made the decision to put his casino onto the table. “Have you ever been in a room with yourself?”

“The kid is right,” Diabo agreed. “You’re an idiot.”

Bill gasped in fake offense, his smirk quickly returning. “I did  _ not _ consent to being bullied. How dare you two team up on me!”

Dipper snorted. He didn’t like how he suddenly didn’t feel angry anymore. “You asked for it.”

Diabo cleared his throat. “It’s 5:03.”

“Good. I’m always fashionably late,” Bill said self satisfied. “I’ll be waiting in the car in case anything happens.”

“We can handle ourselves.” Diabo got up and out. Dipper unbuckled himself and followed suit.

Bill leaned out of the car, pushing his cheeks up with two fingers. “Don’t forget to smile!”

“Fuck off,” Diabo grumbled, turning away from the car.

They entered the building. It was a standard office from the inside, nothing fancy which was a bit suspicious to Dipper by now. These people all seemed to be about who could make their bathrooms look the most expensive. 

“Bill Cipher and Mason?” asked the lady behind the reception counter. She glanced at them, typing something into her computer. Dipper could see images of them being pulled up. Hopefully this would work. He bit his lip.

Diabo put on a smile and faced her. “The one and only.”

It didn’t sound quite as narcissistic and pleased as Bill always made it sound. If she had ever met Bill, she would instantly know it wasn’t him. She squinted at her PC and Dipper wanted to run. Any moment she’d make out their lie. Any moment she could call security.

She shook her head and Dipper’s heart stopped. “I’m sorry, Sir. I forgot my glasses at home. Please go into room 206, Gleeful’s representatives are waiting for you.”

Diabo nodded and they walked up a flight of stairs to the room without a word. Another thing Bill would’ve never done. He would probably have started to flirt with the receptionist. Dipper didn’t know how to feel about that.

They found the right hallway and walked to room 206. The halls were so silent that Dipper could hear a few people talking. He took a deep breath and grabbed the handle of the door. “Ready?”

“Just open the damn door.”

“Alright, angry Bill.”

Diabo hissed. “I am  _ not _ angry Bi-”

Dipper opened the door. Several faces turned to them.

“Mister Cipher, how delightful!” A blonde woman at the desk near the door smiled at them. “We almost thought you wouldn’t come.”

“It’s only 6 minutes after 5.” Diabo straightened his suit. “This was a very short notice meeting.”

“Of course, we are sorry. Please have a seat.” She motioned towards two wooden chairs across from her.

Dipper sat down while he could practically read Diabo’s thoughts about this low quality chair off his face. Besides them there were three other people in the room. Two seemed to be the representatives, dressed in bright blue, and the one in the corner watching them must be one with a blocking power.

“We know you have been struggling to get the money you owe us recently because of a few ‘mishappenings’,” the woman started carefully. “We understand that it has been very hard for you-”

“What’s the offer?” Diabo asked.

The woman’s eye twitched but she kept smiling in a way that set off Dipper’s alarm bells. “Impatient, hm? Well, let’s get to the point.” 

She nodded at her companions. 

The one at the table pointed a gun at Diabo and the person in the corner raised their arms. Dipper froze, unsure of how to act.

The woman interlaced her fingers, looking satisfied. “We will take Mason and let you go.”

Diabo didn’t look startled. He didn’t even look concerned. To Dipper’s shock, he nodded. “Go ahead.”

The color drained from Dipper’s face. Hadn’t Diabo been the one who wanted him gone the most? This had been a really dumb idea. 

The woman raised a brow as if she asked herself if ‘Bill’ was right in the head. “Really? You’ll just hand him to us?”

“Diabo-” Dipper protested but the man shot him a single look which made his mouth snap shut. Dipper was cornered. If he tried to run, Diabo would just make him stop with his powers. Tears rose to his eyes.

“Correct.” 

The woman grinned. “Great. Get him.”

The guy lowered his gun, approaching Dipper with a pair of shackles in hand. This was it. His last second of freedom.

Except the guy stopped right in front of him and started shaking. 

“What- what’s going on!?” His eyes were wide and focused on the gun, struggling to hold it. Dipper asked himself the same thing.

“Don’t be so dramatic and do your job,” the woman snarled.

Diabo smirked, bending his wrist. The man’s arm rotated and he cried out in pain. “No please! No!” 

Dipper winced, grabbing his own arm. “Diabo!”

Diabo clenched his fist, throwing it through the air. The man dropped the gun, stumbled around the room and ran into the wall, collapsing against it. Dipper grabbed the gun and unloaded the magazine, throwing it out of the window. He feared Diabo might’ve made use of it later.

The man in the corner struggled as well. He looked like he was trying to block Diabo’s power but hadn’t figured out how. “What is this!?”

“Weak. I actually looked forward to you.” Diabo stood up and pushed his hand downwards, making the guy collapse and gasp in pain. Then he looked at the woman who had her hands raised by now, staring at him like he was the demon that haunted her in her dreams. “W-what do you want!?”

“Where is the base with the lab?” Diabo asked, his voice calm. That’s what made it so threatening.

“I can’t tell you- Ah!” Her head slammed into the table.

“Where. Is. It.” He smacked her head down after every word, raising his voice. She started bleeding.

Dipper grabbed his shoulder. “Diabo stop!”

“Be quiet,” he snapped, pushing Dipper off with ease.

The woman frantically grabbed a piece of paper and a pen to scribble down an address. “T-there! Please let me go!”

Diabo looked at her with that murderous glint in his eyes she reached inside his suit jacket and for a moment Dipper was afraid he’d kill her on the spot. Footsteps sounded down the hall.

“Diabo! We have to go!”

Diabo glared at him but let the woman alone. They stormed outside, avoiding the security by a hair and made it back to Bill’s car.

**▽▽▽**

Bill had a great ol’ time by himself in the car. It included fantasizing about being somewhere a lot more exciting. Like a casino. Or a bar. Just when he was about to pull up his phone to check for nearby casinos just in case this would take longer, Dipper and Diabo came sprinting out of the front doors of the bureau and practically threw themselves into the car.

“How was it? Had a nice talk?” Bill asked.

Dipper panted, wiping sweat off his forehead as he sunk into the passenger’s seat. “I wanted a nice talk but apparently Diabo is a lot more ruthless than you are.”

“Oh, I could’ve told you that beforehand.”

“ _ Drive _ , Bill! They’re after us!” Diabo shouted, pointing at the armed security guards aiming at the car.

“Okay! Okay!” Bill accelerated onto the street, skilled hands turning the wheel. 

Dipper grabbed onto the seat, his head almost hit the window. “Careful! If we crash they get us!” 

“But if they crash, we win!” Bill glanced into the rear mirror, spotting the security cars right on their tail. Gunshots rang through the streets and Bill tossed his pistol to the back in hopes Diabo would catch it. Bill spun the car around a corner, just missing a group of old people and zig-zagging through a traffic jam.

“Stop being so damn reckless!” Dipper yelled.

“How about you loosen up! I’m just trying to do what’s best!” Bill kept glancing back, checking if his maneuvers helped.

Dipper had his eyes squeezed shut, holding onto the door. “More like what you want to do! You don’t care about anyone else!” 

“What!? That’s not true! Do you know how much I’ve done for you!?”

Diabo groaned in the back. 

“What  _ have _ you done, huh!? You got me into this huge mess in the first place!” Dipper flinched as they almost crashed into a street sign. “Watch out!”   
“ _ You _ insisted on helping with the casino!” Bill shouted over the honking of cars he barely dodged. “You wanted to stay with me!”

“But  _ you _ didn’t want to stay with me! I didn’t mean anything to you at all!?”

“I’m going to jump out of this car,” said Diabo.

Bill looked at Dipper. Did it really come across that way? “That’s not what I meant! Of course you mean something to me!”

“Oh, do I!? Because I can’t tell with the way you act sometimes!”

“I’ve never had a proper relationship like this before! Give me some credit!”

“Get a fucking room.” Diabo’s grumbling drowned under Dipper’s frustrated yelling.

“Because you bang everyone you see and then never talk to them again! Bill, you’re avoiding all of your fears and therefore also inhibiting our relationship!” Dipper’s voice turned slightly softer towards the end.

Bill frowned, going was silent for a bit. He pulled up on another street, crossing a red light at a speed that was almost acceptable. “Do I really do that?”

“Yes,” Dipper said, looking up at him. “Anytime I get too close it’s like you just want to pull away and it makes me feel like… like I’m not good enough.”

Bill looked ahead, making sure they didn’t crash into anything. Or anyone. Though they were practically driving at normal speed now. “You’re way too good for me. You deserve someone better.”

“But I like  _ you _ Bill” Dipper placed his hand on top of Bill’s onto the wheel with an honest smile. “Even if you are a huge idiot most of the time.”

“Wow, thanks,” Bill said sarcastically but he felt warm again. Maybe they should stay together after all.

“Are you done because we got rid of our tail,” said Diabo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just finished editing the last Chapter of this fic (and now dw it's not the next one) and boi. This is so weird. I've been working on this for so long. It's been half a year since I did draft zero. Damn boye. Alrhough I still have an unfinished bonus chapter on the counter BUT no promises.


	26. Amplifier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to PicyKitty, Pinetreeshapedtriangles and drinkyourspoiledmilk for commmenting on the last chapter!

After their very pent up drive, Bill brought Dipper and Diabo back to the Mindscape. Hopefully they would be able to start planning with the information they had gathered and indeed, Diabo had gotten a paper with an address on it and if it was legit, their little visit had paid off. They met up with Sahir, Jimbo and Cable in their conference room with a big table and a screen.

“So we have the location. Cable checked, hacked in and got us as much information as he could get his claws on. It’s the real deal. Now we just need to decide how to go about it,” Bill started before handing the stage over to Cable.

The wiery man made the screen show a rough layout of the base. “The lab is a huge bunker underneath the city. It has one entrance for cargo, an air system and a sewage drain but we suspect that there are hidden entrances all over town. There is a second security breach within the facility but my sources tell me the Pines are not being kept behind those. The main problem will be getting in or out.”

“How is that a problem of the security breach is disabled`? We can just steal cargo and drive in.” Sahir braided his hair absentmindedly as if this wasn’t a big deal. 

“Too risky. If we get discovered we’re all done for. We have to split up,” said Bill.

Sahir shrugged. “What about the vents?”

Diabo flicked his knife back and forth expertisely. “Most of us are too tall and too heavy.” 

Bill hummed. While that was true, if they were going to split up anyways the vents could still be useful. “Sahir and Dipper could go together.”

“Oh, you’re sending him with me? Great.” Sahir threw his braid back, not even sparing Dipper a glance.

“Would you prefer the sewage?” Dipper asked. When had his Pine Tree picked up on good comebacks?

“On second thought, you smell slightly better.”

Bill shook his head in amusement before stepping up to the screen. “If one of us goes in with a cargo truck we could bring weapons. I assume they will have a few of those blocker amulet guys ready for us.”

“I will go,” said Cable. “They know your and Diabo’s faces by now. I’ll get my hands on one of their uniforms.”

Bill looked at the map with pursed lips. That pretty much left him and Diabo. He certainly didn’t want to go through the sewage so that only left one option.

“Diabo and I can go in through one of the secret entrances.” A stealth mission with two tall, burly men. Could be fun for sure though they would both have to dress down. And Bill may get stabbed in the back, you could never be too sure. Especially with their current climate. “What about Jimbo?”

“I will help you prepare,” Jimbo said. “I don’t do well in combat yet, I would cause more harm than help. Sorry.” 

“It’s alright,” Dipper said.

Bill nodded. “So that’s settled. After we’re in we can all go looking for where Gideon could be hiding the Pines and Aeon. Cable will give us maps of places to put bombs so we can do some damage when we’re out. His bunker may be safe from the outside but it wasn’t built to hold internal damage. Hopefully that’ll save us some repercussions.”

Best case scenario was they rushed in, grabbed the Pines and rushed out, detonating the bombs after them. Maybe with a bit of luck they’d bury Gideon in his own bunker.

“We have to stay undercover though, we’re basically trapped in there. We will assemble when someone finds them and get them out. Best case scenario is we leave undetected. Worst case… well, I’m sure we can all color that in.”

Dipper looked like he wanted to protest but didn’t say anything. He seemed to have understood the seriousness of the situation. They couldn’t spare lives anymore. 

“Sounds like a plan!” Sahir yelled enthusiastically. “We’ll show that annoying piglet who’s in charge.”

“Or we get trapped in the lion's den,” added Diabo.

The stakes were high but this was about people. His people. Dipper’s family. They couldn’t fail.

Bill turned to Cable. “How much time do we need for preparations?” 

“Two.”

“Then we meet in two days,” Bill said.

The others agreed, packing up their stuff and leaving one by one. Except for Dipper. 

“You need a ride?” Bill asked.

“No- I mean yes but that’s not-” Dipper stopped himself, sighing. “I’m sorry for having yelled at you. It’s just stress and this whole situation…”

Bill smiled slightly. He had missed the warmth he got from being around Dipper. “It’s alright, I forgive you. I understand.”

“Do you?” Dipper asked. “You’re the last person I have right now. I was afraid… to lose you too.”

“...We were both afraid to lose each other.”

Dipper smiled. “So I call it even.”

“We’re back to normal?” Bill asked, unable to conceal his hopeful tone. He wanted to go back to cuddling and kissing, holding hands and each other. He missed how good it made him feel. How much better.

“Yeah. I’d like that.” Dipper reached out for his hand and Bill took it. But Dipper’s smile fell to something more serious. “If something goes wrong and we really do get trapped… I would offer myself up in exchange to let you all go.”

Bill frowned. This had been his exact plan before they decided to stand up to Gideon, yet he felt repulsed by Dipper’s proposal even though he knew that was the best outcome in that situation. It would spare his friends and himself as well as Dipper’s loved ones at the expense of Dipper’s life. He sighed. 

Dipper jumped when Bill’s phone started to ring. Probably some newbie who didn’t know how things worked around here. He had hired assistants for this. “Sorry, let me check who this is.”

Dipper nodded.

Bill pulled his phone out. He didn’t recognize the number which was fairly unusual so he picked up. “I’m not sure I know you but you’re calling Bill Cipher, CEO of the Mindscape.”

**▽▽▽**

Like it often happened around Bill, Dipper was promptly tugged back into the car without an explanation beyond ‘it’s important’ but Dipper kept bugging until he got more out of Bill. Apparently the mysterious caller was a friend of Ford. The one he had asked to crack the safe for them. 

After about twenty minutes of semi reckless driving that Dipper could barely tolerate because of the fact that they would likely be able to get the safe’s contents out today, they arrived at the casino. Bill rushed to the hallway they had found the secret safe in. The wall still looked like a bomb destroyed it. Which was partially true.

“There you are!” Yelled a short, old man. He didn’t look like he was capable of cracking a safe but then again, Dipper knew better than to judge a book by it’s cover. “The name’s McGucket! I cracked open this pretty lady here.” He slapped the safe which was propped on a small table. The door fell open with a gross squeal.

Bill reached for the safe but McGucket slapped his hand. “Ah-ah-ah! Payment first.”

Bill rolled his eyes. He casually pulled out a couple dozen hundred dollar bills that were stacked in his suit pocket and patted them on the man’s chest. McGucket grabbed it, sniffed on and was gone within five seconds.

Dipper was not sure what to make of this encounter.

Bill looked at him. “Well? What are you waiting for?”

“Right!” Dipper opened the safe, the suspense practically killing him. It could be anything. Maybe another letter.

Dipper’s hand closed around something smooth and cold which seemed to be attached to a leather string of some sort. Dipper pulled out a brilliant blue gem that seemed to shimmer attached to a necklace. Dipper furrowed his brows. He felt an energy emanating from it and it reminded him of Aeon for some reason. “An amulet?”

Bill looked over his shoulder. Dipper tried to ignore his breath tickling over his neck. He held it up for Bill to look at. 

“No, this is not one like Gideon has.” Bill ran his fingers over it. “Yep, like I thought. This is an amplifier.”

“What do you mean?” Dipper turned his head to face Bill. “Is this also made from… from other angels?”

Bill shook his head and Dipper sighed. He found the idea of holding a dead person’s essence very traumatizing. “So, it amplifies what I can do with magic?”

“Yeah, pretty much!” Bill sounded excited. “This will help you with training. It’ll bring your deepest potentials to the surface if you train hard enough.”

Dipper’s eyes sparkled. He would get to actually heal people! “So I will finally be able to help out?”

“You’ll be the best healer in no time!”

**▽▽▽**

When Bill pulled Dipper into his car once more, he assumed that Bill was bringing them to some place where they could train his magic away from prying eyes like the desert outside of town or an abandoned building just at the edge. Except Bill drove deeper into the city.

Dipper watched the passing by buildings as they became less and less recognizable to him. He didn’t know this part of town. “Where are we going? Shouldn’t we head somewhere private?”

“We are,” Bill said with a grin that made Dipper doubt their definitions of private were the same.

They drove past a boulevard filled with casinos, bars and hotels. No wonder Dipper hadn’t been here before. “Then where are we headed?”

“A private hospital, obviously.”

“Wait,  _ what? _ ”

“The last time I checked your ears worked fine.”

Dipper sighed. He would probably never understand Bill’s logic, if he had any at all. “The last time I checked, you were an ass. Oh nevermind, you still are.”

Bill shrugged and pulled into the parking lot of a fancy glass building which was surrounded by a garden. The building couldn’t be much older than a year or two with how pristine and well-kept the exterior looked. It might as well have been a modern museum or a university, the only real hint at it’s function was the sign above the main entrance. ‘Las Vegas Private Health Care’.

Dipper took a deep breath. “I really hope you’re not planning on making me do what I think you want me to do.”

Bill’s mischievous smirk spoke volumes. He turned off the engine and got out of the car, opening Dipper’s door for him from the outside. 

Dipper rubbed his face, anxiety swirling in his gut. “Bill, I’m not gonna experiment around with magic I can barely control on  _ humans. _ ”

“Would you prefer animals?”

Dipper sighed, getting out of the car. “Okay, but I’m not gonna try to treat brain tumors.”

He stopped. Wait. Wait- holy cow. If he actually mastered this, he would be able to heal so many people. He might be able to treat brain tumors. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad progression.

Bill held out his hand. “I see you’re finally starting to see the value in this.”

Dipper took it into his own, slightly shaky hand, liking how warm it felt against his cold fingers. “Whatever, let’s just get through this.”

They had to let go as they walked into the hospital and were instantly stopped by the receptionist lady. Bill passed well enough as a doctor in his fancy attire but Dipper, well… His oversized hoodie wasn’t exactly what staff would wear in a place like this. Dipper chewed on his lip while Bill negotiated.

“He is my patient. He’s coming with me, don’t worry.”

“But I have to check him in,” the lady insisted. She pulled out a book and a pen. “What’s his name?”

Bill grinned, leaning over the counter as he stole the pen and wrote something. The lady blushed. Dipper crossed his arms and looked to the side. 

“Alright, you can go, darling,” said the woman, utterly enchanted.

Dipper threw a questioning look at Bill when he turned away from the woman.

“Thank you very much!” Bill purred. 

They headed deeper into the hospital and Bill blabbered about mindless topics while Dipper’s thoughts stayed in the lobby, still watching Bill and the receptionist. “What did you write?”

“Hm? Oh, I gave her my number.”

Dipper stopped in the middle of the hallway. “You  _ what?”  _

Bill sighed. “Come on. It’s nothing serious and it got us in. I don’t actually care about her.”

Somehow that didn’t make him feel better. There was this panging. This hurt in his chest. He turned and kept walking. “Whatever. I’m being stupid.”

Bill rushed back to his side. “Dipper, I care about you. I can be loyal if I want to.”

Yeah,  _ if _ he wanted to. But did he? Dipper was pushed out of his head when he dodged a nurse rolling a bed through the hallway. He wasn’t here for banter. He was here to learn how to heal. Dipper sighed. He knew Bill wasn’t actually interested in that woman. Or at least he hoped so. “It doesn’t matter. We’re here for a reason.”

“Right...”

Bill ushered him into a room to put on one of those light pink nurse outfits despite Dipper’s best efforts of protest. He felt incredibly uncomfortable when he stepped out into the hallway and almost had a heart attack when a doctor came right around the corner.

Wait. That wasn’t a doctor.

Dipper broke into laughter. “Pfffha- Bill- You look-”

Bill pulled his mask below his chin, adjusting his white coat and hair net. “Stunning? Handsome? Sexy?”

“You look like a dork!” Dipper snickered, wiping tears from his eyes. He hadn’t been ready to see Bill dressed in oversized mint clothes featuring plastic gloves and a lab coat. 

“Well, you look like you’re about to be dissected.” Bill pulled out a pair of scissors, snipping to underline his point.

“Okay, okay.” Dipper calmed down, adjusting his sleeves. “We can go now. Please don’t use those.”

Bill went into several rooms, asking for people's conditions. Heart attack. Stroke. Fever. Way too hard for Dipper to deal with. But then they found a room with an adult woman, Nancy, who had been injured in a car accident.

Bill excused himself and joined Dipper in the hallway right outside the room. “They’re perfect.”

“What!? Do you want me to heal the fractures?” Dipper whispered. The hallways were lively, patients and nurses wandering the halls. Dipper didn’t know if he could do this at all, not speaking of doing it  _ right _ . 

“No. I want you to start with the little cuts and bruises. You can work your way up to the flesh wounds in non lethal places.”

Dipper chewed on his lip. This wasn’t just applying ointments or bandaging a wound which he had done countless times in his life, mostly on animals. This was interfering with the body itself. Making physical changes to the structures of tissue. “Are you sure? What if I do it wrong? I don’t want to hurt them.”

“You’ll do great. Trust me.” Bill leaned in for a quick kiss that actually made Dipper feel a lot better. Bill also put the amplifier around Dipper’s neck, leaving behind a pleasant tingling on his skin.

“Okay.” Dipper smiled.

They entered the room and Bill sat down next to Nancy, grabbing a notepad and a pen from the foot of her bed. She looked worried.

“Everything’s alright,” Bill reassured. He clicked his pencil once and set it on the paper. “I will just ask you a couple of questions to determine treatment options.”

“Where’s doctor Martin?”

“Doctor Martin will come to see you later. I’m Doctor Cipher, the one chosen to fill out this protocol. My nurse here will check your wounds just to be sure.”

Dipper took a big breath, then stepped up to her with a warm smile that would hopefully ease her up a little. 

Bill started to ask his questions which Dipper was sure he made up just now. Her attention was mainly focused on ‘the doctor’ the more he asked her and it took Dipper around a minute to feel comfortable enough to touch her. He carefully examined her arm. The underarm was fractured, too difficult for him to handle, but the upper arm had a lot of bruising and cuts. Perfect for him.

Her prodded at them gently, awaiting a wince or some other noise but Bill had Nancy under his spell. It was a blessing but also a curse and Dipper tried his best not to become defensive again. Bill was doing this for him.

Okay, focus. Dipper picked a bruise, setting his fingers on top of it. He felt the amulet hanging over his heart. It was almost like he could feel it beat with him. The amplifier was his second heart. One that didn’t circulate blood but energy in a layer that connected him with his surroundings. It felt unlike anything he ever experienced but pleasantly so.

Now he just had to heal. Focus.

He stared at the bruise, imagining it going away but nothing happened.

“Is something wrong with my arm?” Nancy asked, tugging on her sleeve.

“O-oh! No I’m just um, checking for infections and stuff.” Yeah, she’d definitely buy into that. Dipper coughed awkwardly. Hopefully he wouldn’t end up blowing their disguise.

Nancy looked to Bill sceptically.

“He’s new.”

That seemed enough to satisfy her and they continued their questionnaire.

Dipper exhaled. Another try. Focus.

He closed his eyes instinctively. Shutting out the external world. Only seeing himself and the bruise. He could see his energy, vibrant and bright, pulsing through his body and over his skin. His hand reached out. Linking to the body. The bruise.

He opened his eyes. Bill stared at him. Did he do something wrong?

“You’re seriously starting to worry me,” said Nancy.

“Oh no, it’s fine. I spaced out for a bit,” said Bill. “Too much coffee and busy schedules.”

Nancy didn’t seem to have noticed it. Her arm was perfect. No more cuts. No more bruises.

He had done that. Dipper had done that. With his own hands. He kept down a squeal as he waited for Bill to finish his interview. After a couple more minutes, they walked out. They were already at the end of the hallway when Dipper heard Nancy shouting about her arm in the distance. He smiled to himself.

“I think we’re done here,” said Bill, wrapping an arm around Dipper. “Im proud.”

Dipper returned the favor, leaning against Bill as he walked. “Let’s go have dinner at your place tomorrow. If you want to cook of course.”

“You want me to be your last meal before death row? I’m flattered.”

“Tomorrow is the last day before the attack, huh?” Dipper almost didn’t catch the innuendo but he punched Bill lightly when he did, his face heating up. “I’ll make sure not to die so I can dance on your corpse in case you do.”

Bill snorted. “Like you’d do that.”

“No, I’d heal you of course.” Dipper pecked Bill’s cheek, enthusiastically strutting out of the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I forgot to post on Wednesday bc I'm a himbo agfaergerge but ofc you will get another chapter tomorrow.


	27. Hot Dogs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what this chapter is. It's smut. That's what it is. HAVE FUN! 
> 
> Credit to my bean Ginger_Bimber for ghostwriting for me and thanks to Ritsosika and PicyKitty for commenting on the previous chapter.

Dipper rang the doorbell, fiddling with the pot of flowers he hugged to his chest. He felt like he ate butterflies just thinking about eating with Bill. And he was also very hungry, practically already being able to taste Bill’s amazing cooking. His stomach growled in agreement.

The door clicked open and Bill grinned broadly when his eyes fell on him. Dipper smiled back. “Hi.”

“Are we going surprise gardening?”

Dipper chuckled. That was a nice date idea. “No, I just think potted flowers are nicer than bouquets because they last a lot longer.”

“Good because I don’t want dinner to get cold! Come in.” Bill took the flowers and put them next to the couch while Dipper took off his shoes, closing the door behind him.

A savory smell filled Dipper’s nose and he salivated. “What are we eating today?”

Bill took his hand and walked into the kitchen, lifting the lid of a pot. “Hot dogs.”

Dipper laughed. “Hot dogs? Actual hot dogs or are you flirting again?”

But indeed, the pot held hot dog sausages.

“I did say I’d be your last meal, didn’t I?” Bill grinned, hand wrapping around Dipper’s waist. He bit his lip and felt his face burn as he actually considered what Bill was jokingly suggesting. He never realized how much he actually wanted this.

Bill stopped, looking worried for a second. “But seriously, do you not like hot dogs?”

“You’re cute today,” Dipper said after half a minute of pushing his previous thoughts out of the way. 

Sure, he had expected something else but he was honestly fine with whatever Bill made. He trusted him to make it taste godly. “Of course I like them! You just- caught me off guard because you usually make very fancy stuff.”

“Are you saying my hot dogs aren’t fancy?” Bill asked in playful offense. “You haven’t even tasted them yet!”

“That  _ is _ a good point. I can’t wait!” Dipper sat down at the table, stomach grumbling once more. The table was filled with topping options ranging from several kinds of vegetables to ketchup and even caviar. Did Bill eat caviar on hot dogs? Why was he even asking, of course he did.

Bill poked around in the pot. “They’re ready, how many do you want?”

“Two, please.” He might even go for a third one with how hungry he felt.

Bill handed him a plate with two sausages and two buns. “Don’t be too enthusiastic or you’ll choke,” he added with a wink.

Dipper snorted. He took one of the sausages and put it to his mouth to taste. 

Bill turned around, about to say something but instead he watched Dipper eat.

Dipper flushed, he stopped eating. “Don’t look at me like that.  _ You _ chose hot dogs, not me.”

“That is correct,” Bill purred with a grin. He sat down at the table as well, taking a plate and sausages of his own.

Dipper frowned. “Did you plan this just to make me uncomfortable?”

Bill didn’t say anything but his grin told the whole story.

“Asshole.” Dipper was about to take another bite but he had a better idea. He didn’t remember ever having seen Bill flustered. It was time for revenge.

Dipper put the sausage to his mouth and waited for Bill to look.

“What are you-”

But instead of biting in, Dipper licked the whole thing. Slowly sucking and nibbling while keeping eye contact. He smiled triumphantly as Bill’s gaze grew intense. 

Bill took a sausage and Dipper expected him to do the same but he casually sucked in the whole thing and swallowed it  _ whole _ .

He cleared his throat, then grinned at Dipper. “Amature.”

“Bill what the hell!?” Dipper gawked. He felt his face flush and tried hiding it behind his hands. That man had no gag reflex at all. His thoughts wandered further and he couldn’t deny the heat he felt. “Damn you, asshole!”

Bill grinned, purring. “I’ll show you more if you want me to.”

A shiver went down Dipper’s spine. “I- maybe later.”

After that, they finished eating mostly in silence. When Bill was done, he got up to clean his plate. Dipper’s eyes were fixed to his back, watching his muscles roll through his shirt.

Bill turned, looking concerned. “I didn’t go too far, did I?”

Dipper smiled, charmed. “No. If anything, this was my fault. Sorry if I made things awkward.”

“Likewise.” Bill leaned against the kitchen counter, his signature grin slipping over his face. He undid the top buttons of his shirt, exposing his collar bone. “I did appreciate the display though, even if you stand no chance. You lack my experience.”

Dipper swallowed. He walked over to Bill, taking his hands. Now was the time. He could- They could- “Maybe you could… help me with that?”

Bill didn’t seem to understand at first, forming inaudible words with his mouth. 

“Tonight may be our last chance… If you want to, of course…” Dipper added.

Bill’s lips curled up in a smile. “I didn’t think you’d actually want to.”

“I didn’t think you’d be so shy about it.”

“I’m not being-”

Dipper stood up on his toes, pulling Bill down by his collar, making their lips collide. It was soft at first. Slow and passionate as both of them drank in the familiar warmth and the butterflies. They grew more and more intense until Bill nibbled at Dipper’s lip, drawing a gasp.

Dipper got a good look at Bill’s face when they separated, hunger and lust in his gaze before he turned them around. He trapped Dipper between his frame and the counter, muscled arms on either side of Dipper. Dipper didn't need to push to know he wasn’t going anywhere. Not that he wanted to be anywhere else. No, this was thrilling.

“Look at me.” The command was clear. The space between them taut. Dipper watched Bill’s eyes, one like the tropical sea and one like golden sand. He felt Bill’s breath and licked his lips, drawing Bill’s attention to his mouth.

Bill almost looked like he wanted to say something. Dipper went to ask what, but Bill stole his breath away. His mouth on Dipper’s again.

It was rougher than before. A clashing of lips and teeth. Dipper felt the heat inside his stomach grow. He liked this. Loved it even. He grabbed onto his shirt, pulling him close. The further Bill delved into Dipper’s mouth the more Dipper backed up until Bill shoved him up on the counter top. Something clanked to the floor. Dipper couldn’t care less as Bill’s pierced tongue pressed against his. The man made a noise between a growl and moan as he drew back, sending shivers down his spine. 

Dipper’s reservations went out the window when Bill bit into the sensitive skin of his neck. He moaned and wrapped his legs around Bill’s waist, pressing against him. He needed him closer. His hand found a fist full of blond hair. Fingers twisting and tugging on the strands.

Bill bit harder and Dipper moaned louder in response. He was marking him. Heat pooled in his stomach. Dipper wanted him. He wanted Bill so bad.

“Bill…” Dipper murmured. His other hand went to fumble on the buttons of Bill’s shirt, popping them open with a little effort. Dipper’s thin fingers started to roam and explore his bare chest, admiring the thick muscle with his touches. It raised with each breath, labored by now. 

“I like the way you think, Angel,” Bill whispered. His breath hit the sensitive spot he had just bitten and Dipper held back a whine. 

This wasn’t anything like Dipper had imagined it to be. Not necessarily in a bad way, just different. He pulled Bill back in for a heated and needy kiss. Desperate. Their tongues wound against one another while Bill’s hands pushed away his shirt to explore, hot on Dipper’s skin. He broke away to gasp for air, arching his back to grind his hips. 

Bill tore off the rest of Dipper’s shirt and kissed along Dipper’s chest. He took a moment, giving his nipple a swirl of his tongue. The metal piercing rolling across the sensitive buds was enough to make Dipper whine and rake his blunt nails across Bill’s back. He growled and pressed against Dipper, making contact with his crotch.

Dipper’s whole body felt on fire now, a desperate need to have it taken over. Was he supposed to reciprocate what Bill was doing? Aeon never had an interest in sex and Dipper didn’t mind. It left more room to do other things. But shouldn’t he be making Bill feel good as well? He didn’t want Bill to do all the work and feel left out.

“Should I… Ugh this is embarrassing… I don’t know what to-”

Bill looked up, that same predatory hunger in his eyes and returned to kiss Dipper’s lips softly once. He spoke softly despite the intensity of his look. “You’re thinking too much. Do what feels good.”

Dipper relaxed when Bill pulled back to start undoing his pants. He felt 

anxiety twisting in his gut alongside the burning desire but brushed it off. He trusted him.

Dipper laid back while Bill’s hands moved down and got rid of both his pants and underwear. He looked up at the ceiling and inspected the chandelier, feeling a bit embarrassed.

That was until he felt Bill’s hand on his crotch. Stroking slowly. Dipper gasped, coming back to reality. He propped up on one arm. Bill watched him, taking in his every reaction. He had his undivided attention. Dipper swallowed hard, still not quite comfortable letting his voice leave his throat. He bucked his hips into Bill’s hand, huffing.

Bill’s gaze softened, leaning down to pepper comforting kisses over Dipper’s heart. “Let me hear your voice, sapling. It sounds beautiful.” 

Okay. Relax. He just needed to focus on how amazing Bill made him feel. He eased his throat, hesitantly letting out the whines and moans he had been withholding. Bill hummed in reply, clearly enjoying what he heard. Dipper felt a weight lift off his shoulders, his voice growing louder as Bill picked up in speed. 

His legs spread of their own accord when Bill leaned down to close his mouth around him. Bill gripped tight on the spread thighs and started to bop his head. Dipper fell back onto the counter with a moan.

Dipper lost himself in pleasure. His breath became more shallow and quick. His hand scrambled to hold onto the edge of the counter. Dipper’s fist clenched in a vice as sinful moan after sinful moan left lips. 

“Oh please- hah-” He muffled himself with his hand, biting down just slightly.

Bill pulled away with a soft gasp and a cheeky grin, licking his lips. “If you start pleading, you might as well be pleading to me.”

Dipper couldn’t even manage a glare, instead he whined. He needed more, legs moving apart further invitingly. 

Bill laughed as he stood back up. His dark hands undid the belt buckle and then a zipper of his own pants. Dipper eyed him shyly.

Was that supposed to fit? 

Bill seemed amused by Dipper’s gawking, stroking himself while stepping closer to Dipper. He bent over, brushing through Dipper’s hair. “You’ll be fine.”

“Y-yeah.” Dipper didn’t want to worry Bill so he tried to overplay his nervousness by taking the hand in his hair and pressing kisses onto it. Bill looked intrigued so he continued, starting to lick and suck as the aching need started to claw at Dipper.

He parted his lips letting Bill push two fingers into his mouth. Including his half-inch-long acrylic nails. They felt hard against his tongue but not unpleasant. 

Dipper looked up, unsure if he was acting right but Bill seemed to be enjoying himself. He had to admit he liked the way Bill looked at him like he was some beautiful, priceless piece of art.

Bill moaned as he went back to stroking himself. It made Dipper that much more aware of how hot he felt and just how much he needed  _ more. _

Bill seemed to get the drift, pulling his fingers away. He spread them, saliva forming strings between. He eyed his nails and sighed. “Well, I need to get these redone anyways.”

He brought the two fingers to his own mouth. One at a time, biting the nails off with a snap to leave behind round fingers. Dipper felt his stomach twist in both anticipation and anxiety at the realization of where those fingers were headed.

Bill pulled open a cupboard and Dipper wasn’t sure what to make of that until his hand emerged, wrapped around a small, pink tube. 

“Y-you keep lube in the kitchen?”

Bill shrugged, popping the lid open and squeezing some onto his hand. “Never know when you might need it. Comes in pretty handy.”

Dipper let out a nervous chuckle.

Bill leaned down to press a kiss to his lips before dipping his hand between Dipper’s legs. He rubbed around his entrance.

Dipper let out a noise somewhere between a gasp and a grunt, watching Bill with weary eyes as the anxiety bubbled to the surface again. Would it hurt? What if he didn’t like it? What if Bill didn’t like it?

“Relax, Angel. This will sting a bit but I promise it’ll feel good soon,” Bill said before pressing a finger against the tight hole. Dipper’s lips pressed into a thin line as he let Bill’s finger in deeper and deeper. It felt odd. Uncomfortable but not painful. Yet.

“Just a little more.”

Dipper took a deep breath. He felt the finger rub the walls inside him. The discomfort died down, leaving behind only the lighting sensations that made Dipper want to melt. Dipper never experienced such a sensation before. He moaned as Bill pulled and pushed. 

“There we go,” Bill purred proudly. “That wasn’t too bad, was it?”

Dipper only managed a nod, legs spreading ever so slightly.

“Alright, number two.”

Only when another finger eased into him did the stinging start. Dipper hissed, gritting through until the pleasure melted back into place. He panted softly, rolling his hips into Bill’s finger. 

“Good job.” Bill placed a kiss onto Dipper’s stomach which made him feel as if flowers blossomed within him. He couldn’t help but smile.

Then Bill’s fingers retreated, leaving Dipper empty and wanting. He needed  _ more. _ “Please…” 

Bill only grinned, giving himself a couple of strokes. He positioned himself snuggly between Dipper’s soft thighs. “I told you, if you’re gonna beg, at least beg for me.”

Dipper felt so embarrassed at how much he wanted Bill but he couldn’t deny it, nor did he want to. “Please just- I  _ need _ you, Bill.”

“That’s more like it.” Bill groaned as he rubbed himself against Dipper’s entrance who shivered in response. Then he pressed in. 

Nevermind. Dipper bit back a whimper. He wasn’t ready. This wasn’t just mild discomfort. This was stretching and stuffing and pulling and  _ pain _ . Dipper groaned, closing his eyes tight. He clawed into the counter. 

Bill grabbed his thighs just under the knees, bending them towards Dipper’s torso. He stopped pushing. Was it in? Dipper shook like leaves on a tree. He just took  _ all _ of Bill. 

Bill pressed a kiss to Dipper’s knee. “I’d rather have you scratch up my back than my kitchen.”

Dipper tried to smile but it probably looked far from it. He obeyed Bill’s wish and rested his hands onto his back, hoping the pain would fade away again.

Pain shot through him when Bill decided to move. He wanted to tell him to slow down but his voice was caught in his throat so all that left his mouth was a chopped off yelp as his fingers clawed into dark skin. 

Bill’s groans fluttered through Dipper’s ears. Did this feel good for him? This wasn’t remotely like the man’s fingers. This was big and thick and wasn’t even rubbing him like the fingers had been. He bit it down. He probably just needed a little more time to adjust.

Time did add to the experience. Bill started thrusting into Dipper at a steady pace in a state of pleasure as sweat dripped down his dark face. The pain lessened significantly and Dipper was able to also start enjoying himself, hugging Bill close as he joined his moans.

Bill peppered sloppy kisses all over his throat, shoulders and chest, each one prickling with electricity and lingered on his skin. Bill thrusted into him, hitting something. Dipper’s back arched off the counter with a gasping cry as overwhelming pleasure shot through his body. 

Bill chuckled. He hit that spot over and over again. Dipper forgot about the pain, only focused on rolling his hips to give Bill a better angle.

“Fuck- Bill! Ah-” Dipper trembled, lost to the pleasure. His moaning cries bounced off the apartment walls. He would feel sorry for Bill’s neighbors, but he didn’t find himself to care.

He felt a hand on his dick. Dipper’s head snapped up, little moans escaping with every thrust as he watched as Bill fuck him. Seeing them connect like this made him feel even better. 

Bill started stroking him again. It was too much. Heavens have mercy on him, Bill was going to kill him. He was sure his soul would leave his body if they kept going but he needed more.

Bill sped up his pace of his thrusts, brows furrowed with pants escaping rhythmically. Dipper was breathless as well but he pulled Bill’s head down to his lips anyways. He pushed his tongue into the demon’s mouth, enthusiastically exploring his taste between muffled moans.

Bill hit him with such a hard thrust that his body slid up the counter slightly, back pressing into the tiles of the wall. That building pressure let go at once like the cork blowing from the champagne bottle. Dipper came with a broken moan, his seed coating Bill’s hand, his own stomach and part of the kitchen counter. He shuddered through his orgasm, while trying to catch his breath. 

Bill pulled out slowly, placing a kiss to Dipper’s cheek. 

Dipper panted, pushing himself up a little as he regained control of his body, half lidded eyes finding Bill’s. His brain caught up with him as well. Bill was not taken care of yet. Dipper glanced past his legs at Bill’s dick which still stood proudly. He licked his lips, pushing himself forward and off the counter. He wanted to try this.

“Someone’s looking eager,” Bill purred. “I like it.”

Dipper looked to the side, feeling the nervousness come back. “You know I haven’t… done this before but…”

“You’re so cute. Sure, go ahead. I don’t mind a bit of tooth.”

Dipper was really glad Bill didn’t mind him being inexperienced. He dropped down onto his knees, hesitantly reaching for Bill’s length. This shouldn’t be too complicated, right? After all, Dipper knew what felt good to him, this couldn’t be that different. The man hummed as Dipper wrapped his hand around him, sliding his own into Dipper’s hair. 

Dipper started carefully, stroking and watching for Bill’s reactions. The man wasn’t as vocal as him but he could still make out the subtle ways his breathing changed or his brows furrowed. The occasional groan was enough to send sparks right to Dipper’s crotch.

He took a deep breath. He could do this. He didn’t need to prove anything to Bill. He just wanted him to feel good. 

Dipper kissed Bill’s tip, licking his lips to get a taste. Then he licked all the way from the base up, feeling Bill’s fingers drawing uneven circles into his scalp. With a sharp inhale, Dipper opened his mouth, taking Bill in. It felt a bit odd at first, unusual, but not unpleasant. The thought of what he was doing right now, mouth wrapped around Bill’s dick, was incredibly arousing to him. 

He moved his head slowly, drawing a hiss from Bill. His hands found the back of Bill’s thighs to steady himself and he worked up some speed. The fingers tightened around his hair, becoming more rigid as he pressed his tongue against Bill.

“You’re doing so good, my angel,” Bill purred, one hand stroking over his cheek. 

Dipper couldn’t even describe how happy this made him feel. If Bill was enjoying himself, he had nothing to be worried about. He tried to push lower, feeling Bill’s tip at the back of his tongue. If he went any further Dipper knew he would start gagging so that’s as far as he went, bobbing his head. Bill’s groans were starting to get to him, feeling the blood rush into his crotch once more. He slid a hand down, palming himself and moaning against Bill.

Bill took more control over the movement, holding Dipper’s head while he moved his hips. Dipper appreciated how careful he was to not push beyond what Dipper was comfortable with so he did his best at rubbing and sucking, all while he took care of his new erection as well.

Bill’s thrusts became harder and faster. He was about to cum. Dipper was already feeling tight again as well. He worked harder on the both of them, moaning when Bill practically tugged on his hair. 

“Dipper- fuck-” With one last thrust, Bill spilled into his mouth as Dipper came on the floor. 

Dipper coughed, quickly swallowing what was left in his mouth. He collapsed against the counter behind him, feeling positively famished. Dipper smiled to himself. He had made Bill cum. 

Two strong arms scooped him up like a feather. Dipper cuddled into the warmth of Bill’s chest by the time the euphoria faded. He felt Bill’s hand nuzzling into his curls.

“And?” Bill asked quietly.

Dipper hummed. He felt great. Tired but happy. “I… really hope we don't die tomorrow… because I want to do this again.”

“You look too exhausted for a shower,” Bill mused.

Dipper yawned. All he wanted to do right now was curl up in bed and cuddle but with both of them drenched in sweat and various bodily fluids, that didn’t sound so nice anymore. “I’ll be quick.”

“Alright.” Bill grinned, kissing Dipper’s forehead before bringing him to the bathroom next to his bedroom. “I’ll go shower in the guest room.”

Dipper nodded, too tired to protest. He walked over the dark tiles into the open shower. This was easily big enough for the two of them but Bill had already left. Dipper turned on the water and grabbed one of the shampoo bottles. He smiled. Pine tree scented.

As he said, he didn’t waste much time under the water as he really wanted to lay down. He dried himself and wandered into the bedroom, half expecting Bill to be waiting for him already but the man was nowhere to be seen. 

Dipper sighed. He crawled into bed and cozied himself into the blanket. He felt so light, loving the way the cool fabric brushed over his skin.

Had he really just had sex with Bill? On a kitchen counter of all places? He smiled to himself, his body wrapped in warmth.

Was this the start of something true and real? Would they become something more than… whatever it is they were? Hopefully. Maybe after all of this they could… be together. Have a real relationship. He wanted Bill to call him his boyfriend.

It still felt surreal to him. So much so that doubt fogged his mind. What if this was only a playful fantasy? That once this was all said and done they’d go their separate ways. This one night stand would be just that. One night. They were extremely different after all.

Bill would get bored of Dipper eventually. He wasn’t the most exciting person ever. He was just Dipper. Boring, stick to the rules, nice Dipper. While Bill happened to be a businessman. Incredibly successful. Handsome. Cut throat at times. How could Dipper keep up with  _ that _ ?

His thought drifted as his mind slipped away. Images of the day flashing past silently. He barely noticed the door opening and a warm body wrapping around his.

All he could do was hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm horrible at writing smut so I FORCED Ging to ghostwrite for me. But eventually it clicked and I made the chapter twice as long so... THANK YOU GING, YOU KNOW THIS WOULDN'T EXIST WITHOUT YOU BB


	28. Alarm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to PicyKitty, Sofia_uwu and Lulu9901 for commenting on the last chapter!

It was Friday afternoon when Bill and Diabo drove to the park that the secret entrance of Gideon’s bunker was located at. They parked the car far enough away and made sure to stay hidden and unseen. For all Bill knew, they could have kept security cameras around.

Diabo found the rusty trap door hidden behind rocks and underneath bushes. It croaked when lifted but it was safe. Probably. They climbed down the wiery ladder into the darkness as quietly as possible, without lights in case anyone was in there. Explosives the size of smartphones rustled in one of Bill’s vest pockets. Cable had told him they were harmless as long as he didn’t hit the trigger in his breast pocket and Bill really hoped that was true. Finally, Bill’s feet hit metal ground piled with rubble. This certainly wasn’t one of the most prestigious entrances.

“You think they use this one often? Seems pretty run down, not that I can see a lot,” Bill said, reaching for the wall. It felt rough and uneven.

Diabo walked past without a word. Communicative as ever. Bill sighed but followed him. Was he still mad at him? Of course he was, why did he even ask. The comdev vibrated against his leg and he picked it up. 

“Cable here, I’m in. Got free access. The uniforms worked wonders.”

“Well done!” Bill shouted.

“Be more quiet for fucks sake!” Diabo half shouted, half whispered in front of him.

“Well done,” Bill whispered with a grin. He couldn’t see Diabo’s face but he was surely pulling a big frown before he kept going.

They continued walking for about five minutes and Bill almost fell. Stupid cave entrance. He stumbled over rocks at least ten times and it was getting old so he turned on his flashlight.

Diabo stood further ahead, just visible enough to glare. “Bill, I swear if you don’t take this seriously I’m going to make your organs explode and do this without you.”

“Woah there, little aggressive don’t you think?” He waved the light around to see more but mostly to annoy Diabo. The walls were all made of jagged, porous stone that crumbled to the ground, no wonder there was so much tripping hazard.

Diabo stomped over, ripped the flashlight out of Bill’s hand, threw it to the ground and stepped on it. Hard. It flickered but with a second stomp and a crunch, the light went off. 

Note to self, bring a sturdier flashlight when with Diabo. “Great, now how are we gonna see if there’s a 50 foot drop right in front of us?”

“You go first.”

“As you wish, Cinderella.” Bill walked past, kicking stones in front of him to make sure he didn’t grant Diabo the pleasure of his death. “You’d miss me the second I was gone.”

“I wouldn’t.”

“You would.”

“No.”

“Yes you-” Thunk. Bill's foot struck metal. And it hurt. “Ah- Ouch fuck- What the fuck!?”

“Tell me a venomous snake bit you.”

“No, but I think there’s a door here…” Bill tapped along the metal with his hands. He wished he could see right now. “You know, if we still had a flashlight, this would be a lot easier.”

“Bill, shut up.”

“No, I’m serious. I could’ve just-”

“Shut up and _ listen.” _

Bill went silent and listened. It sounded like there was stuff going on behind this door. Drilling? Constructions?

“Ohhh, that’s why this hallway looks like absolute garbage,” he whispered.

Diabo stepped next to him. He tapped around on the metal. The door let out a soft groan and then opened just a bit, letting in some light.

“When we go in there, I don’t want to hear a word from you,” Diabo whispered.

“Can’t handle me, huh?” Bill winked but Diabo didn’t react. Bill rolled his eyes. He supposed Diabo was used to the constant bullshit Sahir pulled on him. Hard to impress. “Understood.”

“And no other shenanigans either.”

He didn’t know about that yet. “Got it.”

Diabo glared at him for three more seconds before sticking his head through the door. “There’s people working but a lot of boulders and machinery to hide behind.”

Diabo pushed the door open far enough for them to slip through which was quite a bit considering they were both wide framed and wearing bullet-proof vests. They entered the room and like Diabo had said, people were at work. It looked like they were redoing the cave and actually making it a proper hallway. Both of them hid behind a large rock before continuing to sneak through. Past a group of people. Then the cave split up into three hallways. 

“Cable did  _ not _ tell us about this,” whispered Bill.

Diabo let out an exhausted breath.

“No talking, I remember, Diabo. But we can’t exactly do telepathy. Where do we go now?”

“Trial and error until we get the right one.”

Bill pursed his lips, scanning the area until his eyes fell onto a woman with short, light brown hair who was working on the electrical lines. He put on his most charming grin and left their cover. If Diabo’s looks could kill, Bill would be bloody pulp on the floor. “Excuse me, Miss.”

She turned around, temporarily putting her tools down. “Yes?”

“Do you happen to know which one of these hallways leads to the… main bunker?”

“Oh, of course! The right one,” she said. 

Well, that was really easy. Suck it, Diabo. “Thank you!”

“No problem, dude.” Then she returned to her work.

Bill walked past Diabo with the most satisfied expression while Diabo stared at him like he wasn’t quite sure whether to yell at him or not. Bill shrugged, heading for the right hallway. Diabo grumbled something and then followed him. The hallway wasn’t occupied so they didn’t need to stay covered, although Bill kept his eyes open for options in case someone should walk in.

“Don’t do that again. She could tell on us.” Diabo spoke quietly but with force.

“Nah, she won’t.” Bill waved him off as they approached another door, placing one of the bombs next to it.

“You don’t know that! We should’ve killed her.”

“It’s called intuition, something you don’t seem to have. She didn’t seem concerned and if she was, she would’ve called the alarm. In that case I could've electrocuted her and it would’ve looked like an accident.” Although Bill couldn’t help but think about Dipper. He would have been very upset over this. 

Bill sighed and opened the door. Behind it was a much nicer, polished looking hallway. It resembled modern hospitals or-  _ a laboratory _ . They must’ve been close. “Well, no more falling hazards.”

“No spots to hide behind either…” Diabo said. The walls were pristine and white. Straight and empty.

Bill peeked his head in, spotting several people roaming around. “There’s guards to the right but if we go for it when they’re not looking, we should get past.”

“Sounds like a terrible plan.”

“I agree. Let’s do it.” Bill waited for the perfect moment. He made sure the guards were occupied and wouldn’t turn around if they didn’t provoke it. He gave a thumbs up to Diabo who flipped him off and then walked through as quietly as possible. 

He was so quiet he could even hear his own heartbeat and that was pretty scary. Diabo did the same. He was honestly proud of how quiet they were, those guards didn’t suspect a thing.

The ear-shredding wail of an alarm went off, red lights flashing on the doors. The guards turned around, pointing their guns at them.

“I swear it wasn’t us!” And that wasn’t even a lie.

**▽▽▽**

“Oh, how much I missed the cold metal and the darkness of vents,” Dipper said, irony dripping from his voice.

Sahir and him had been climbing through the pitch black system of vents for at least twenty minutes now. The only source of light was his amplifier, although he had to tuck it underneath his black vest. The air was thick and musky, needless to say, it was hard to breathe but at least Dipper could be sure he wouldn’t get stuck again. Whenever they needed to pass through a set of fans, Sahir used his telekinesis to make them stop moving . However, he also never stopped complaining. “Speed up unless you want my face up your ass. I don’t even have legs and I can crawl faster than you.”

“You can float, Sahir. How is that fair?” Dipper looked into the darkness behind him out of habit. Even with his eyes having had time to adjust, he couldn’t actually see Sahir. 

“I  _ could _ float but I’d rather save up energy for later. I don’t wanna get bullet holes into this flesh suit.”

“Weren’t you the only one who  _ didn’t _ want a bulletproof vest? And why don’t you go first if I’m too slow?”

“A vest is useless if the bullet won’t hit in the first place. I’m not gonna trust some flimsy piece of metal to keep me alive,” Sahir said. Dipper wasn’t quite sure what he was saying but didn’t question it. “I don’t wanna be the one to bump into a corner head first.”

Dipper sighed. They continued following the route Cable planned out for them, checking the approximate map on their comdevs occasionally. Everytime they crossed over a seemingly important room, Sahir placed a bomb on the side of the vent. 

“Well, I’m out of bombs,” Sahir said.

“...Weren’t you supposed to put them down in the actual rooms?”

“Yes. But crawling around is boring.”

Dipper rolled his eyes and moved on. It was completely quiet except for their own noises and skittering. Probably rats.

“If we run into some chemical mutant it better have some nice tentacles,” said Sahir.

“Are you sure you want those chemicals up your butt?” Dipper carefully turned around a corner.

“Who knows, maybe they’ll give me a nice high.”

Their conversations quieted down when they climbed over rooms that were lit or when they heard people talking. Since both of them were pretty light, the vents didn’t creak too loud. Well, most of the time.

They crawled into a silent area and they could see empty laboratories through the openings of the vents. Dipper stopped to observe. Maybe he could find hints to help them locate where they held his family and Aeon. The room was dimly lit through the windows to the hallway. It held many shelves, some filled with vials.

“What are you doing? Move, bitch.”

“Maybe ask nicer next time.” Dipper tried reading the notes on the tables but it was too dark and he was too high up.

Sahir groaned, pushing past Dipper.

“Hey, be careful!-” The vent groaned and before Dipper could react, the metal collapsed and he fell to the ground. The air knocked out of him.

Sahir crashed into a shelf of vials tipped over, making the glass shatter on the vinyl floor. He hissed.

“Oh my god, are you okay Sahir!?” Dipper scrambled over. 

Sahir cackled, lifting his bloody hand. Glass shards stuck in it. “It burns.” Then he squinted, smelling the liquid. “These fuckers. This is it. The sedative they made using our formula! The fucking  _ audacity!” _

“This better not be poisonous!” He grabbed Sahir’s hand, pulled out the glass and healed it up.

Sahir was about to say something but they heard noises. Footsteps. “ _ Hide. _ ”

Dipper slid behind a stack of boxes and grabbed an iron bar from one of them, just in case. Sahir draped himself under a table. Dipper felt bad for not helping him out but it was too late. He could see the silhouette of guards walking past the blinds that shielded the room from the hallway. They opened the door.

“Hello?” The first guard shone a flashlight around. They progressed into the room.

“We know you’re in here!”

They searched for a while. Dipper held his breath at one point because one of the guards stood a couple of inches away from him. Clinging to the metal bar in his hands. He kept the sigh of relief contained when the guard turned away.

“I don’t know, maybe it was just those pesky mutated rats.” The guy walked back to the door.

“No, wait! Look up.” The other one shone the light at the broken vent. Dipper pushed himself out of view as far as he could. “That can’t be-”

“Surprise, fuckers!” There was a loud crunch and startled screams that died down with a heavy thunk. 

Dipper peeked out from his hiding spot. Sahir was perched up proudly under the table. The two men laid on the ground, a big piece of vent on top of them. “And we’re clear.”

“Sahir what did you do!?”

“Ripped out the vent and smacked it into their faces,” he stated like it was nothing interesting. “Oh, come on! I didn’t even kill them!”

Indeed, one of the guards moved. He aimed his gun at Sahir faster than Dipper could blink. 

“No!” Before Dipper could think, he brought down the iron bar on the man’s head. It cracked and the man went to the ground.

Sahir stared at him like he wasn’t sure how to react. “I could’ve handled that.”

Had he…? Had he ended someone's life? With his own hands?

Dipper dropped the bar. His breathing going ridgid. He leaned onto a table, feeling his stomach flip.

Sahir rolled his eyes. “This is probably your first kill or whatever but we don’t exactly have time for an inner monologue right now. Suck it up and deal with it later.”

It was true. Sahir was right. He couldn’t afford a breakdown right now. Dipper took a shaky breath to steady himself. He swallowed down the bile he felt coming up. The man was probably fine. He would be fine. So what now? “We need to... keep moving… I don’t wanna go back into the vents.”

“Me neither.” Sahir crawled to the door.

“I’m not gonna let you crawl around on the ground.”

“I  _ would _ use my powers but some guy named Stanford got kidnapped before he finished my slick.” He tapped the dark bottle on his back. “If I use it now I won’t be able to use it later.”

Dipper made a mental note to ask about the ‘slick’ later, walking over to the door. “Let me carry you then.”

“Nope!” Sahir backed up against the wall. “No. Nononono!”

“Just let me help you, it’s not that big of a deal!” Dipper went to pick Sahir up despite all of his flailing.

“I don’t need any help! Let me down you piece of shark food!” The demon slapped and thrashed but Dipper stayed persistent until he was on his back.

Dipper tested his legs, finding that he wasn’t weighed down too much. “Huh… You can’t possibly weigh more than my dog.”

“ _Bitch,_ _did you just compare me to a-”_

More footsteps. This time more aggravated. 

“Hold on tight.” Dipper threw open the door and bolted into the opposite direction of the noise. He rattled on the next best door to hide since he couldn’t run for long, with or without Sahir. He wished he had gone training with Bill.

Sahir stretched his arm and flicked his wrist. The lock clicked open.

“Woah, nice,” Dipper said, rushed into the room and closed the door just as guards entered their part of the hallway. Sahir flicked his wrist again and the door clicked shut.

A couple of seconds later, somebody rattled on their door but then kept going. They didn’t see them. Dipper sighed.

“Close call. Now let me down, fucker.”

That’s when Dipper realized they forgot something. “We left the bodies.”

A shrill alarm pierced Dipper’s ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, shit be going down.


	29. Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to PicyKitty, ulu9901, Pinetreeshapedtriangles and drinkyourspoiledmilk for commenting on the previous chapter! We're like well over 3k hits now, damn.

Just a minute after the alarm went off, Diabo and Bill found themselves in the middle of a halfway intersection, surrounded by a couple dozen guards. All of them armed, of course.

“Any ideas on how to get out of that one?” Bill asked. His eyes passed over their opposition. They were outnumbered by far but were they outskilled as well?

“I’ll use you as a human shield if I have to,” Diabo said.

He wouldn’t put it past Diabo. “I don’t like that plan at all.”

“Raise your hands slowly!” one of the guards shouted.

Bill raised his hands, letting the electricity pool at his fingertips. He glanced at Diabo, then around the room. If he could just turn off the lights. He tried to push the electricity out but it wouldn’t. Someone was blocking him.

“You too!” The guard motioned towards Diabo who only grunted in reply.

Bill scanned the crowd of guards. A woman looked at him intensely. He pushed his energy harder and she grit her teeth. He shared a look with Diabo and nodded towards the woman. They would have to be very quick.

“I said hands up!”

Diabo raised his hands slowly but then threw them to the side halfway up, sending the woman flying into a wall. 

Within a heartbeat, Bill sent a wave of electricity into the lights above. 

Everything went dark.

“SHOOT!” yelled one of the guards.

Bill threw himself to the ground. Bullets went flying everywhere. Screaming. Shouting. All around. Some bullets panged off his vest. It was fine as long as they didn’t hit his head. Just don’t hit the head. Don’t hit the head.

Diabo grunted to his left and Bill grabbed onto a leg, shocking the person. Someone stomped on him, he sent a bolt for them as well and stood up. The gunfire calmed.

The lights went back on, it was only him, Diabo who was bleeding from his shoulder and five more guards, some wounded. The rest was a pile of gore and bullets. That’s what happens when you have people randomly shooting in the dark.

The guards aimed. Diabo knocked one into another while Bill fried the other two. The last of them dropped his gun. He bled heavily. “H-have mercy!”

Diabo scrunched his nose. “Pathetic.” He pushed past the guard who sacked to the ground, whining. 

Bill followed. He couldn’t shake this uneasy feeling. Death had never bothered him in the past but this? It wasn’t pleasant.

“More guards!” Diabo shouted.

Bill glanced back to see even more guards approaching. He chucked one of the bombs and sent a bolt flying. With an ear shattering BOOM, several metallic groans and a big crash, the ceiling behind them collapsed, separating them from the guards. 

There was no time to rest so both of them sprinted. They still needed to inform the others. He grabbed his comdev. “We’ve been discovered because of the alarm! We’re on the run! Stay undercover if you can, we’ll push through!”

**▽▽▽**

“Sorry, we got into some trouble and... left behind bodies. They must've found them,” Dipper answered, voice shaking while Sahir sat next to him, getting leftover glass out of his skin. They possibly ruined their whole mission. How were they gonna get out!? They hadn’t even located his family yet!

“Well, we left an even bigger pile so we’re even.” Bill sounded almost regretful.

Dipper rubbed his face. He didn’t know what to do. They were stuck in this room, unsure where to go and Gideon knew they were coming. How the hell would they be able to handle this? Had they risked everything just to fail completely? The only thing Dipper could do was to give himself up as the angel and hope Gideon would free the others in return.

“Guys!” Cable shouted through the device. ”I found them.”

Dipper perked up, blinking back unspilled tears. “Are they alright!?”

“Looks like it,” Cable said. “I’ll get us in. Come to the western part of the building. I have it marked on your maps.”

Gunshots sounded through the device on Bill’s end. “Alright! Diabo and I will put on a big show to keep the guards out of your way!” 

A stone fell off of Dipper’s chest. They were alive. His family was well. There was hope. They only needed to free them now. “Get on my back, Sahir.”

Sahir frowned. “Over my cold, dead body.”

“Come on, it’s not that big of a deal! Let’s go!” Dipper picked him up again, ignoring the snarl he got in return.

“I’ll make sure you suffer when we get out of this.”

Dipper checked the hallway. Clear. “Great! Looking forward to it.”

He ran towards the west wing, hoping the parts of the building he had memorized were halfway accurate. He had to trust Sahir to tell him if he went into the wrong direction.

Sahir locked and unlocked several rooms to hide in when guards approached but the rest of the way went pretty smooth. Until they arrived at a hallway, packed with guards, shouting and banging against a big door. Crap.

Dipper fumbled out the device. Yep. This was the room. “Cable, please don’t tell me we have to knock out a whole hallway of people.”

“Unless you can walk through walls, yes,” Cable said.

Dipper sighed, looking at Sahir. “What was that slick thing about?”

Sahir’s eyes practically sparkled with excitement. “Finally! Put me down!”

Dipper obliged. He watched, intrigued as Sahir took the bottle from his back, screwed open the lid and poured the black ooze in it to the ground. He took a deep breath. 

Dipper pulled his brows together, unsure what he was waiting for. “Is… something supposed to happen?”

“Shut it! I need to concentrate.” Sahir closed his eyes and Dipper could almost feel the energy around them shifting.

The liquid started moving. It was like tentacles lifting out of an ocean of black slime. Sahir rose in height. His lower body completely encased in the slick, several legs- no,  _ tentacles  _ supporting his weight. He was taller than Dipper now. With a wide grin, he wiggled the tentacles at Dipper. “It’s party time!”

Sahir didn’t even wait for Dipper to get to cover, he straight up charged around the corner into the crowd. Showers of bullets rained on him while eight tentacles threw people into each other, disarmed quite literally and pathed a way. He was like a living lawn mower and it was a mystery to Dipper why he hadn’t been shot down yet.

Dipper tore his eyes from the limbs on the ground and ran after Sahir, keeping his head low after a bullet grazed his arm. He grabbed the wound, gritting his teeth but never stopping to run. He didn’t have time to heal right now.

“HOLD YOUR FIRE!” a girl shouted and the hail of bullets stopped. “We’ll handle this.”

Sahir came to a halt. Two girls around Dipper’s age opposed them. They both had red hair and tired green eyes. The same sunken facial structure except one looked a bit younger and wore an amulet. Sisters maybe. 

A dark grin spread over Sahir’s face and Dipper bit his lip. He did not like where this was headed. “Finally someone brave! Let’s see what you’re made of!”

The younger girl with the amulet approached Sahir who stretched his wrists. Then she lifted her hand, throwing it into their direction. One of the dead guards barreled towards them and Dipper barely managed to duck. He wanted to throw up when a streak of blood hit his face.

“Oh, I see.” Sahir straightened himself, cackling. “You’re just like me. How unfortunate that there can only be one of us.”

He dove forward, striking and slashing wildly with his tentacles as the girl dodged, dissipating the slick by blocking with doors, corpses or whatever else she could find.

Dipper couldn’t do much but to watch. Sure, he had powers but they weren’t made for fighting. 

The older girl snuck up on him, punching him straight in the gut. Dipper yelped and stumbled back, holding his stomach. She went for another punch and Dipper ducked but she struck him with her leg, making him stumble to the ground. 

“Is that all you have? I was hoping you’d have more spunk like your friend over there,” the girl sneered.

Dipper took the chance to stand up. He didn’t want to fight her but how else was he going to get past? He glanced over her shoulder. Sahir and the younger girl were busy throwing each other into walls, leaving behind dents in the metal.

Okay, he could do this. He almost beat Bill before, how bad could this random human girl be, right? He pulled up his fists, going for a punch.

She blocked him, wrapping her arm around his and throwing him to the ground. His back cracked and Dipper wheezed. He gasped for air, staring at the girl above him.

“Weak.” She pulled out a knife, flicking it in her hand.

Dipper’s eyes went wide. He tried to crawl away but air refused to flow into his lungs. He grasped at the floor, desperately trying to move.

The girl swung the knife and he could already feel it piercing his flesh.

Her sister knocked into her, the both of them flying through the hallway before crashing through a glass wall.

Dipper could finally breathe. He coughed, getting up. Sahir stood proudly, whirling an amulet around his finger. “That was easy.”

The guards behind Sahir stared after the two girls in shock for a second. But then one of them aimed at the demon.

Dipper’s eyes went wide. “Watch out!”

But Sahir didn’t duck. He wheeled around laughing and grabbed a bullet out of mid air to toss it to the side like it wasn’t a piece of metal flying at insane speeds but a children’s toy. “Hasn’t Gideon taught you bullets and telekinesis don’t mix well?” 

He punched the guard into a wall and kept going. A couple more people were slammed into unconsciousness until they reached the room. Sahir wobbled on his eight legs. Dipper looked back, the hallway was piled with bodies. Don’t think about it. Don’t puke. Don’t panic. They didn’t have time.

“Alright, let's get your stupid family.” Sahir kicked the door but it wouldn’t budge, making him stumble backwards. Sahir squinted in annoyance. “The stupid sedative actually works, huh?”

“Are you fine?” Dipper asked in concern. 

“Eh, the demon blood takes care of it.” He kicked the door again, it opened like butter.

The room was pretty big, too big to be a prison cell. Cable was at work trying to free Stan and Ford from their shackles. 

“Dipper!” Mabel yelled. Her hair tangled and face wet. She was okay.  _ She was okay. _

“Mabel!” He couldn’t hold back his tears, running into Mabel’s arms. “I-I’m so sorry! I should’ve done more to protect you!”

“It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault. We’re getting out of here…” She hugged him tight.

Dipper sniffled, wiping his tears away. “We’re gonna get out. We’re all gonna get out together.”

Mabel let him go, frowning. “Dipper…”

He looked around the room. Aeon wasn’t there. Panic settled in his gut. They couldn’t leave without Aeon! “Mabel,  _ please _ tell me you know where Aeon is!”

“I don’t… They took him away two days ago. I don’t know where he is.”

No. They couldn’t leave without Aeon. They couldn’t abandon him like this. Who knew where they took him? What they did to him? 

Bill and Diabo crashed into the room. Diabo slammed the door shut, bending the knob. Both of them were bloodied but Dipper was relieved they were alive. 

“Sorry-” Bill took a deep breath, wiping over his forehead. It left a red stain. “We’ve been held up. Are we ready to leave?”

Dipper sobbed. “Bill, t-they don’t know where Aeon is.”

“Fuck! It would have been very convenient to have them all be in the same room, dammit.”

“So, what do we do?” Cable finished unshackling Stan.

“We can’t just leave him! Who knows what they’ve been doing to him!” Dipper would find him and get him out of here. He had to. He owed it to him.

Bill looked conflicted. “Dipper, you’ll risk your family. My friends. If we waste more time it’ll be impossible to get out!”

Bill was right. It wouldn’t be responsible to drag the others into this. But it was his responsibility. Aeon was an innocent bystander who had been pulled into this by him. If worst came to worst, he would surrender himself. “I’ll find him alone.” 

Bill stepped forward. “I’ll come with you.”

“Are you sure?” Dipper asked. He didn’t want Bill with him in case things went wrong. “Just get the others out of here. You don’t have to come with me.”

“I don’t have to. But I want to.”

“I want to come too,” Mabel said, limping towards them.

Ford grabbed her shoulder. “You’re coming with us. You’re injured. You will just slow them down.”

Mabel opened her mouth in protest but then closed it again. Dipper would’ve appreciated the help, but Stan, Ford and Mabel were in no such condition.

Bill turned to the others. “Dipper and I will try to find Aeon. You get out of here.”

Sahir looked very unhappy. “But what happened to kicking Gideon’s butt!?”

“It won’t happen today, Sahir. They know where we are and you won’t be able to kick his ass in captivity. Get out.”

The others left, if begrudgingly, and Dipper took a moment to heal some of Bill’s wounds since they looked worse than his own.

Then they left for Aeon. They’d find him. They had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just when you think it cant get even worse :')


	30. Trade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry gsdrgrtgs I forgot to update twice since Wednesday :') I swear this wasn't intentional even though its a great cliffhanger. I'll write something about it in the end notes if you care. 
> 
> That being said, thank you to PicyKitty, Pleasure_Pain, drinkyourspoiledmilk and Pinetreeshapedtriangles for commenting on the last chapter!

Bill wasn’t sure why he’d agreed to this. Going with the others and getting the hell out would have been their best option but he knew Dipper wouldn’t have relented. He wouldn’t have left without Aeon. And Bill didn’t want to leave Dipper alone for Gideon to take. 

They ran past a couple guards, hiding to get them off their backs before checking the nearby rooms, all of them seemingly abandoned. Made sense considering how little security there was around these parts.

Laboratory over laboratory, each one more disturbing than the next. There were corpses in some. Discarded next to weird tubes big enough to fit a person. Bill even recognized a few of them. They had been demons, robbed of their power and then their lives to be used by cruel people like Gideon, always hungry for more. Bill’s nose pulled up in disgust. To think he could’ve been this person...

Bill used his powers a couple of times to open the electronic locks. They checked so many rooms by now that he stopped counting. Dipper barely glanced inside them, looking pale. He couldn’t blame him, the corpses were far from being a nice sight, skin shrivelled up and grey with the bones visible. Drained. This was what they would do to Dipper if they caught him.

They entered a dark room. It was too dark to see so Bill let little bolts dance along his skin. It didn’t make for much light but it was better than nothing. They reflected on old crates and glass at the back of the room. Probably a window for the scientists to observe their subjects while they suffered. 

“Aeon?” Asked Dipper, stepping deeper into the room.

Bill squinted. It was hard to make out anything. Something wasn’t right. “I can’t see anyone, let’s move on.”

Metal clanked to the right. It sounded like chains. 

“Di...pper?” The voice was very dry. Dazed. Dipper stumbled through the darkness. 

Bill didn't like this. He didn’t like it in the slightest. “Dipper be careful-”

But Dipper didn’t stop. “Aeon!? Where are you? Keep talking please!” 

A cough. “You… need to leave. Now.”

“No! We’ll take you with us!”

“ _ Go.” _

That’s when Bill spotted it. The little glowing orb that Gideon always wore around his neck.  _ Fuck _ .

The door slammed shut.

Gideon’s laugh echoed through the room.

They had walked into a trap.

Bill tried to shoot a bolt in the direction of the laugh but he couldn’t. The energy clung to his arm, rendered useless. _ Damn blocking amulets _ . “Let us go, Gideon! You stand no chance!”

“Don’t I? Mister Tom Strange here would disagree.”

The lights went on. Gideon stood in a corner, flanked by two guards and Tom. He would’ve been able to take them if only Tom and his stupid amulet weren’t present.

Bill couldn’t believe that guy was still troubling him. Yet somehow he didn’t want to picture himself murdering Tom when they first met during the casino reopening or when they interrogated him in Tad’s bakery. “Really!? I gave you a chance to rethink your alliances and you picked the chubby kid who drains demons and angels of their life force for his own gain? You’re a lot more pathetic than I thought,” Bill spat.

“H-how are you any better!?” Tom yelled. “You threatened me and my brother! You’re just a filthy criminal! A murderer.”

Bill bared his teeth. A while back he would’ve laughed at this. He would have agreed with pride. Now he just felt bad. He was trying to make things better. That’s why he was here. Sadly, he knew things didn’t always have a happy ending.

“I haven’t been the most… morally correct person, I’ll admit. But at least  _ I’m _ trying to change.” Bill paused for a split second when Dipper put a hand on his arm. “Look at that bastard with his hair styled higher than the eiffel tower, putting up a whole bunker to murder and torture people in!”

The man looked at Gideon and flinched when he got glared at. “G-Gideon has given me a place to belong! He gave me this!” He motioned towards his amulet. “He gave me power!”

Bill snorted. “He gave you a dead man or woman’s power and you’re proud of that? You’re wearing a corpse around your neck.”

Tom went silent.

Gideon rolled his eyes. “Blah, blah, blah. We’re not here to discuss morality.”

“Then what are we discussing?” Bill glared at Gideon, pulling Dipper close.

“Why, I’m glad you asked! I’d like to discuss that with you. Under four eyes.”

Bill glanced to Dipper. Then to the guards. He had no choice to refuse. They were outnumbered and he couldn’t use his powers. 

Dipper nodded silently, almost hopeful. Bill swallowed, the bomb trigger feeling heavy in his pocket. He hoped the others were outside by now. He wasn’t sure what Gideon had in store for him but he was certain of one thing. He might never see Dipper again. Dipper looked at him with the same sad gaze. The understanding was mutual. 

Bill took Dipper’s hands, eyes pricking uncomfortably, and pulled him into a short kiss. He would burn this feeling into his mind. He swore he would not forget.

Then, Bill let go. “The guards come with us.”

Gideon raised a brow. “Alright, come with me.” 

He led them into the dusty laboratory next door which granted view of the room they had been in. Gideon brushed over a chair before he sat down, crossing his legs. The guards closed the door, taking a stand beside Gideon. There was no going back.

Bill looked through the glass. Watching as Dipper tended to Aeon’s wounds. He traced the profile of his face. Remembered the feeling of his curls between his fingers.

Gideon cleared his throat. “We’ve already wasted so much precious time so let's get straight to business.” 

Right. Like Bill had any say in this anymore. He glared at Gideon, crossing his arms. There was no more need to play nice. Whatever Gideon wanted, he would get but Bill prayed it wouldn’t be Dipper. He prayed all that Gideon wanted was his head.

“I’m feeling generous today.” Gideon smirked. “I’ll let you and your friends go. I’ll even consider your debts paid.” 

Bill’s head snapped up. Hope filled his chest for a split second before his expression turned stern. He hadn’t named the price yet. “What do you want in return?”

“You know what I want.” Gideon’s eyes glimmered dangerously. 

Maybe he wouldn’t say it. Maybe he would surprise Bill. Maybe there was a way out of this. Bill clawed his nails into his arms.

“Sorry for the suspense.” Gideon looked like he was lapping up every bit of hope Bill had just to crush it. He wore the face of a sadistic scumbag. 

He paused, self satisfied. “All I want is little ol’ Mason Pines.”

Bill grit his teeth. This was  _ exactly _ what he had been trying to prevent. He should’ve seen this coming. He shouldn't have taken Dipper here. “I will not sell him.”

“You don’t have much of a choice,” Gideon slapped the gun on one of the guards' belts.

Bill slowly slid his hand to his breast pocket. He had one more ace up his sleeve. He didn’t want to do this but it was the last resort. “We have bombs planted throughout the building. Let us go or we’ll bring this place down.”

Gideon smirked, motioning for one of his guards and whispering into his ear. The guard turned on a flimsy screen on the wall. It showed the footage of two cameras. At first he couldn’t really make out what was going on but then it all fell into place.

_ No. _

Mabel, Cable and Ford were trapped in a room. Sahir and Stan were surrounded while Diabo laid on the ground, unconscious. 

If he set off the bombs, they would die along with him. It was all for nothing. They had come here and failed. Completely and utterly failed. All of them captured, at the will of this insane kid.

Gideon chuckled. “Would you rather kill all of us than hand me one person? Bill, I don’t know you very well but I do know how much you love your own ass. You don’t want to die.” 

Bill growled. Yes, it was true. He didn’t want to die. He didn’t want to press the button snugly set under his finger right at this moment. He glanced at Dipper. There was a bomb right outside that room. He would be the first one to die. Then Bill and Gideon. The other’s would get trapped in the rubble. 

He hissed, then pulled out the trigger. He deactivated it like Cable had told him to, then stomped on it, crushing it beneath his foot.

“See? None of you will get out unless you hand me the angel. There’s really no decision to make. If you refuse, I will simply take him and kill the rest.”

Bill laughed, full on laughed. Not because this was funny to him. Not because he was happy. He laughed because he was terrified. How could he be forced to make such a decision? How could he choose who lived and who died? He knew these people. He liked these people. He considered them his friends. And Dipper might even be considered a lover.

“I’m waiting, Bill,” Gideon drawled.

Bill glanced to Dipper who was curled around Aeon. Sobbing into his chest. 

How could he do this to him? They had been so close. They could’ve brought this place down. But that’s not what happened.

Gideon turned to his guards. “Have them take out the short one with the long hair.”

Bill’s focus snapped to the screen. A guard grabbed Sahir by his braid, dragging him to the camera. Sahir struggled as hard as he could. The guard pulled out a gun, holding it up to Sahir’s head. He went very still, glaring into the camera. The index finger wrapped around the trigger.

Bill charged at Gideon but was held back by the two guards. “Don’t you  _ fucking touch them _ !”

Gideon grinned. “There we go!”

Bill growled at the guards, backing off so they’d let him go again. He had to do this. Otherwise they would all die. Even if they miraculously got out, Gideon would hunt them down. Over and over again. There was no winning. They had lost. The least he could do was keep the body count as low as possible.

He swallowed his pride and the guilt. All of the pain. His voice no longer sounded strong or confident. He had given up. “How do I know you will let us go?”

“Simple!” Gideon stood up, looking more than pleased with himself. “You and your silly friends make me good money. Once you're free from your debts I’ll expect great things from you.”

A businessman through and through. Something Bill would have admired once. Now he only felt resentment.

He looked over at Dipper. This time, Dipper looked back. He still looked hopeful. Like maybe Bill had somehow found a way to end this peacefully.

Bill tore his gaze away. It hurt. It hurt so much but he had to do this. Maybe Dipper could somehow forgive him. Maybe he would understand the choice Bill was about to make. 

Bill’s throat felt tight. So tight he thought he might not be able to talk. He took a deep breath and looked into Gideon’s eyes. “Let them go first. Then you can have him.”

Gideon grinned in glee, throwing his arms in the air. “Wonderful! That wasn’t that hard, was it?”

Bill snorted. He felt like he was suffocating. Like someone had just knocked the air out of his lungs and robbed him of the ability to breathe. He felt like someone had forced the soul right out of his body. But that was only fair considering Dipper would soon feel the same.

Gideon nodded to his guards and soon after, the screens showed Sahir running with sloppy tentacles, Stan and a limping Diabo in tow. Mabel, Ford and Cable were running as well. At least he had saved them. Bill rubbed his head, biting back tears.

Two guards were sent out the room, into the other one. Dipper stood up, scared. He cast a look at Bill. Pleading for help.

But Bill couldn’t offer any. He was powerless.

The guards grabbed Dipper. He shouted. Cried. Screamed. And there was nothing Bill could do except watch. Watch as they dragged him out. Then he was gone. Bill let out a single sob, one so quiet nobody else but him would have heard.

“What a successful day, hm?” Gideon sighed, settling back into the chair. “Such a shame we’ve found him after all these years of Shermie trying to hide him away. At least now his talents get to be used.”

Bill bared his teeth. He wanted to rip out his throat. Tear him into shreds and burn the rest until there was nothing left. But he couldn’t. All he could do was suck it up and move on like nothing had happened. 

“Leave now,” Gideon said. “I expect great things from you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALRIGHT SO I've pretty much been working on an animation meme all day since sometime last week. It has Deus (my Bill aka the one in this fic) and Jimbo. With very little clothes. Its gay.


	31. Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Sofia_uwu, Pinetreeshapedtriangles and PicyKitty for commenting on the last chapter!

Darkness. Coldness. Loneliness. All three of them had haunted Dipper in his dreams ever since he was young. And now they had become reality.

He had been locked in this pitch black cell for days. His amplifier was gone. He wasn’t given any food, occasionally some water. The first three days were absolutely miserable. The hunger unbearable. After that, he hadn’t been hungry anymore. All he did, all he was able to do, was to lay around and think as silent tears slipped down his cheeks.

His body was still wounded from the fighting and he could heal himself even without the amplifier, yet he had chosen not to. He needed the graze wound on his arm. He needed it more than anything right now. It was the only thing that could pull him back into the here and now when his thoughts wandered too far. When his brain played tricks on him, the hallucinations caused by the absence of light. The only thing to ground him in the twisted reality that was his mind was pain.

Sleeping was the worst part of all of this. He hadn’t been able to sleep for the first two days. Then, finally, the tiredness kicked in. But sleep didn’t upkeep it’s promise of rest. Nightmares plagued Dipper like a swarm of agitated wasps. They left him no rest. Not one minute of sleep was peaceful and when he woke up, every pat of his body ached. His limbs ached. His heart ached. His head ached and he cried for hours on end until he couldn't cry anymore.

When would it end? When would they finally make it stop?

Hope had left with his hunger. Day one was hoping Bill would come back to rescue him. But he didn’t. And why would he? Bill had sold him off and Dipper understood why. He understood that it was his life against all of theirs, including his family. Dipper would have done the same thing. He would have given himself up too. That didn’t stop him from hurting.

He may not have heard what kind of deal he set up with Gideon, but surely he wouldn’t have agreed to it without his debts being paid. He would make money again and become richer than ever. He had all of his friends with him. Stan and Ford working for him. It was stupid to hope he would come back for Dipper. It was a lost cause.

Bill had everything he wanted and even if Dipper meant something to him, even if their one night had been more than that, Bill would find someone else. Dipper was just a nobody. He wasn’t special. He had never had money until he inherited and even then, he’d given all of it away. He didn’t want to bear the weight of it. The egotism it brought. 

Dipper lost track of the day when dark theories clouded his mind. He kept spiralling without anything to stop him. What if all of this had actually been a plan fueled by money and power? Corrupt through and through? What if Bill intended to sell him either way? Dipper had made it so easy to seduce him. How he had swooned for Bill. Fell for his charade. Had all of their shared moments been one sided? Dipper had never been anyone Bill seriously could’ve wanted. And it hurt. He should’ve known. It had been too obvious to miss. Such a stupid mistake. 

It hurt. It hurt so bad. Worse than his flesh wounds. Worse than the inflammation. Worse than anything Dipper ever experienced.

Whether Bill’s intent had been good or not, he had been abandoned, time and time again. He wasn’t desirable enough. He hadn’t given enough. He wasn’t enough. First his parents, then the rest of his family, then Aeon and now Bill. He sacrificed himself for those people and yet he wasn’t enough. And he couldn’t do anything about it. He’d been a fool and he would pay the price. He would become one of those amulets and be used for evil. People would die because of him. 

He was a failure. Nothing but a worthless piece of trash.

**▽▽▽**

On the fifth day, when he miraculously got decent, dreamless sleep, Dipper woke up to a tiny ray of light in the room. It wasn’t much but enough to make out the heavy duty door, broken wooden crates stacked in a corner and a rusty vent high up on the wall. Oh how much he loved vents.

If he managed to get out of his shackles, he might be able to pry open the metal and climb through. But he wouldn’t get far. He didn’t have Sahir with him to make the fans stop moving and he didn’t have Bill to turn off electricity. 

Bill. Dipper didn’t know what to think anymore. His mind had made up countless stories. In half of them, him and Bill had just been unfortunate and Bill did what he did to save the others. In the other half, Bill had sold him for the money. For the power. To thrive and be rid of him. He still remembered what Bill said to Sahir and Diabo when he first had breakfast at Bill’s place. How Bill wouldn’t have worked with him if he didn’t have a good reason. He had known Dipper was a walking sack of money. Then again, Bill could have sold him once he had the casino. He could have handed him over then and there but he didn’t. Did he have genuine feelings or was it all Dipper’s imagination?

Dipper shook his head. He could make up his mind when he got out of here. But nobody would come to rescue him. Nobody would save him. Nobody could get him out. Except for himself.

It didn’t matter what Bill thought. It didn’t matter why his parents had given him away. He had been playing his cards wrong. Giving and giving and giving. Why? Because he loathed himself so he needed other people to love him. Maybe they did. Maybe they didn’t. Some probably never would. This wouldn’t stop him anymore. He had to fend for himself. He had to get out. For his own sake. He would get out or at least die trying.

His first obstacle was the shackles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boii. Short chapter this time.


	32. Justice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to JeweloftheWorld, PicyKitty, Pinetreeshapedtriangles, Sunthecatdragon and drinkyourspoiledmilk for commenting on the last chapter! We're closing in on 4k hits already, huh? Damn boi! Thanks to everyone reading this!

It was a normal work day at his Mindscape office for Bill. He had gotten his finances sorted out and was looking forward to a load of cash this month. Gideon had even been so gracious as to give him a bonus of a couple million dollars which he would get back within about three months in form of his new taxes. Sneaky bastard. Sadly, it was all legal too.

A knock at his door drew his attention away from the paperwork on his desk. He couldn’t say that he was excited for whomever was visiting. “Come in.”

Stan and Ford walked in, a bunch more papers in their hands.

Great, exactly the people who Bill  _ didn’t _ want to see right now. He sighed, already feeling the headache brewing up. “Look, if you’re here to lecture me then-”

“We’re not. I came to talk about the hotel you had planned and Stan is here on behalf of the casino.”

Well, that was a surprise. Bill lifted a brow, sceptical. “You’re not mad or anything?”

“Oh, we’re mad for sure-” Stan growled before being interrupted by Ford.

“I’m not mad at you.” Ford adjusted his glasses. “I would’ve done the same and I think Dipper would have too. It was one life against seven. There was no decision to be made.”

Stan glared at Ford. “How can you be so nonchalant about this!? He is our great nephew! You can’t just leave family behind like that!”

Ford turned to Stan, brows furrowing. “Then what would you have done? Let us all die?”

“I…” 

“Exactly. It’s not Bills’ fault that he was the one to have to do this. He saved our lives. Mabel’s life.”

Bill understood where Ford was coming from and he wanted to agree, yet somehow he couldn’t. It didn’t feel right. At all. “Is Mabel okay?”

The twins shared a look. Stan crossed his arms. “She doesn’t wanna see you, which is deserved in my opinion. She doesn’t wanna see anyone except her girlfriend right now. We tried talking to her but it always ended in screaming and various objects thrown our way.”

Bill hummed. He felt terrible but he didn’t even want to imagine what Mabel must’ve been going through. “I expected as much…”

“Anyway,” said Ford as he put down a stack of papers on his desk, “We still have business to discuss-”

The door slammed open. Bill sprung up out of reflex but that didn’t change much as a fist landed square on his nose. He held his face with a groan, hoping it wasn’t broken before looking for his attacker. “OW! Fuck- What the!?-”

“YOU EVIL BASTARD!” Mabel swung for another punch, her face contorted in anger. Stan grabbed her from behind. She sobbed, tears streaming down her face while she thrashed in an attempt to free herself. “Let me GO! He deserves this! He- He  _ sold _ Dipper so his  _ sorry ass _ could get out of debt!”

“Calm down, sweetheart.” Stan held her tight, speaking softly despite being slapped and kicked.

Bill wiped at his nose, the pain slowly fading. His hand came back red but at least it didn’t seem to be broken. The girl had a good punch, he had to admit. And she wasn’t wrong either. “Let her go.”

Stan shot him a worried glance but let go of her.

He instantly regretted his decision when Mabel charged at him again. Fist pulled back. He pressed his eyes closed, waiting for the impact that might break his nose for real. But he only felt a weak thud at his chest. 

“You’re not worth it. Lying scumbag.” Mabel sniffed, brushing her hand off like she’d just touched something dirty. “There were moments when I thought you could be a good man, that Dipper and you could help eachother grow, but I was mistaken.”

He’d heard things like this a lot during his lifetime and they never bothered him because he had been proud of it. He had been proud to be a liar. A cheater. A criminal. All he felt now was deep regret. Regret and guilt. A pain rooted much deeper than the stinging in his face.

Mabel was gone as fast as she had appeared. The door slammed shut, leaving behind a trail of tears.

“Mabel!” Stan threw the door open and ran after her. Ford shook his head, glancing at Bill before he left as well. 

Bill cleaned up his face, looking into the office bathroom mirror. He looked almost normal again but he was sure Mabel would leave a bruise. It sure as hell wasn’t a great look but it would fade like the pain did. But there was something that Bill wasn’t sure would fade. The look of guilt in his eyes.

**▽▽▽**

About five minutes later, Bill found himself in the car on his way to the casino. He needed a drink. Or several. Preferably alone. None of his friends should be there anyways. He wasn’t even sure if he had friends anymore.

It was funny what a mark one person could leave, more permanent than a bruise and deeper than a scar. Bill had left his mark on Dipper just like Dipper had left his mark on Bill. Deep within him. An open wound that was leaking.

Why did he care so much about Dipper? Because he had been there for him? Because he genuinely liked him? He had known from the start who Dipper was. An angel. A walking target. He had known he wouldn’t get to keep him. That he would either sell him himself or watch him be sold by someone else. He kept hoping this wouldn’t happen. Kept hoping for the best. He had known his fate and yet he fell for him. And somehow it was the first time he felt so strongly for anyone.

But it didn’t matter anymore. Dipper was dead. And even if he wasn’t, he hated him by now. And why should Bill care? 

Bill pulled into the casino parking lot. He had his money. His casino. No more debts. He was rich, what more was there to want, right? 

There was that feeling again. That deep feeling of emptiness. That void that couldn’t be filled. Drowning it in alcohol rarely worked but he would try anyways. It was his best option.

Bill went straight for his private lounge, not even bothering to chat up a guest or check in with his employees. He pushed open the door, heading for the bar in big strides-

Jimbo sat at the counter, hunched over an empty glass.

“Jimbo? What are you doing here?” Bill walked over, slightly worried. Jimbo didn’t even like drinking. Especially not alone.

“Bill, I like you.” Jimbo sighed, pushing the glass away. “And I understand why you did what you did but…”

“But you’re still upset?”

“Yes. And I can forgive you for being an ass sometimes, forgive you for running shady businesses and for killing where it's necessary. I know we live in harsh times and I know having money comes at a cost. But this?” Jimbo looked at him, eyes glossy, filled with the same pain as Mabel. “I don’t think I can forgive you for this. Even though I know you had no choice.”

“I… understand.” Bill walked around the bar to grab a bottle and pour himself a drink. He didn’t even care what it was, just that it had a high percentage.

“That’s it?” Jimbo frowned at him, irritation audible. “That’s all you have to say?”

“...Yeah.” Bill sighed. He lifted the glass to take a sip.

Jimbo pushed his chair back, slamming his hands on the bar. Bill flinched, almost spilling the liquid. “Now is not the time for silence! Do you realize what you’ve done!?”

“What are you-”

“We  _ have _ to do something! We can’t let this happen! We can’t give Dipper up like this!”

“Jimbo, it’s useless. We couldn’t do it the first time and we certainly won’t be able to do it now. They know us. They know our weaknesses. I doubt Gideon will be as merciful this time around.”

“So you want to sit on your rich butt and watch as they press Dipper into an orb to abuse for their own gain!?” Jimbo asked furiously.

Bill looked at his glass. He didn’t want that. He didn’t want to give Dipper away in the first place. But he didn’t want to risk even more when it was hopeless anyways.

“Bill, I know there was more to you and Dipper than an affair. Did you not feel anything for him at all!? Because let me tell you, he saw something in you! He  _ admired _ you!”

“And? It’s not like I can do anything about it now.” Bill put down his glass. He felt like puking. “Dipper is either dead or hates my guts.”

“You don’t know that! What if he’s still alive? Do you just want to leave him to Gideon? It’s justified for him to be angry at you but that doesn’t mean you should treat this like nothing ever happened! You think this is out of your hands now. It isn’t.”

Bill didn’t say anything.

“If you aren’t going to do something about it, I will.” Jimbo walked to the door. “I should’ve been there the first time.”

“Jimbo-”

But he was gone already.

Bill dragged himself onto the couch across the bar, staring into his glass. He could vaguely make out a face beneath the ripples of liquid. Himself. But who was he anymore? He wasn’t the kid on the street. He wasn’t the savage criminal, ruthless and cold. He was… different. It was all because of Dipper. 

Sure, they had rocky beginnings but it all led up to a sweet middle. Weirdly enough, Bill couldn’t remember that feeling of emptiness during the time he spent with that kid. He had felt whole. Complete. A thirst he never knew he had being quenched. 

Was it love? Was it love that he had been searching all this time? Was it love that made him feel alive when he saw Dipper? Was it love that made his heart hurt so bad when he thought about their bitter end? 

He had to help him. It didn’t matter if Dipper hated him or not but Bill knew he would never feel anything ever again if he let him die. Bill wanted Dipper alive. Happy. Even if Dipper would never share his happiness with him. 

Bill would fix this just as he had broken it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you all know that animation meme U Got That? Because I made one. It's not public yet but it will probably go online on the weekend. If you wanna see Deus (the Bill of this fic) and Jimbo you should keep an eye out on my YouTube (TerroiArt) WINK WINK.


	33. Final Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Sunthecatdragon, PicyKitty, Sofia_uwu and Pinetreeshapedtriangles for commenting on the last chapter!
> 
> If you guys want some more content of my Bill (and also Jimbo), you should check out the end notes!

The night after the confrontation with Jimbo was sleepless, consumed by thoughts. Ideas. Plans on how to get Dipper out. Bill figured he had to do this alone, not to endanger the others again and end up in the same situation.

The next morning, he arrived at the casino to find all of his friends, or people who had once been his friends, assembled in the lounge at the mindscape. Jimbo, Mabel, Stan, Ford, Cable. Hell, even Sahir and Diabo. “What are you doing here?”

Mabel shot him a glare, tearing off a piece of the donut she was eating. “Jimbo said you might need us.”

Bill scratched his head. “I… actually don’t.”

Jimbo frowned and started to talk but Bill fell into his word.

“I’m going to go get Dipper back on my own.”

“Wowowowowow!” Sahir threw his hands into the air. “Stop right there, Mister Himbo. That seems like a  _ really  _ dumb idea. Even dumber than your usual ideas.”

“I don’t want to endanger any of you again. That was dumb of me the first time.” It was a risk for sure, but he didn’t want to be responsible for more deaths than his own. He didn’t want them to be used as leverage again.

“But we  _ want _ to come with you!” argued Stan.

“Not because of you,  _ obviously, _ but I decided I want Gideon gone, once and for all,” said Sahir. 

Diabo nodded in agreement. “That kid has been a blemish on this town for too long.”

“We were going to do this with or without you”, said Jimbo.

It looked like Jimbo made up a backup plan in case Bill actually decided to leave Dipper. It stung a little but it was justified. “What’s the plan then?”

“I suggested more explosives but these party poopers voted against it. This is why I hate democracies.” Sahir said. 

“We want to sneak in. Sahir, Diabo and I will face off with Gideon while Cable, Stan, Mabel and Jimbo get out Dipper,” Ford said.

Bill frowned. He knew they all wanted to help but could this really work? More people meant more chances of getting caught. Maybe he could bend things his way a little.

“We could pull this off but how?” Bill crossed his arms. They couldn’t go about it the same way they had last time. Gideon already knew that tactic by now. “How are we gonna get in?”

“That’s where we got stuck too,” said Ford. “Obviously not the main entrances. The secret ones will likely be locked as well and the vents are too small for anyone but Sahir and Mabel.”

That didn’t leave many options. How did you get into a building if you couldn't use the door or the windows? 

Wait. There was one way they’d discussed last time but discarded. “What if we get in through the sewage?”

Mabel snorted. “And we get out with two extra sets of arms?” 

Sahir pulled his nose up. “I’m all for more limbs but  _ ew _ ! I’m not gonna swim in their shit! Do we even know what they put in there?”

Valid point. Luckily, they weren’t all boring humans. “You could make sure none of us touch the chemicals. Make a sort of air bubble? Telekinesis and all?”

“That-” Sahir looked disgusted at first, then he frowned, squinting before he finally answered. “-is actually a good idea. Let’s go swim in poop soup!”

“Don’t call it that,” grumbled Diabo.

Jimbo leaned onto the table. “Then we go find Dipper and Aeon and get them out.”

“That’s the idea,” Bill said.

“It’s not that easy,” Cable intervened, “You can bet your asses that Gideon learned from the last time and put the kid behind the second security breach by now. That’s not some slide in, slide out job.”

Bill pursed his lips. “What exactly does this breach entail?”

“It’s like an inner wall to the core parts of the bunker. Behind it are the main laboratories and cells directly attached to it and there’s only one gate inside that we know of.”

“And that gate is gonna be a problem?”

“Oh yeah. It’s being monitored at all times by several guards. The lock itself isn’t opened by them but by one of the people watching the cameras. We can’t physically break it open and hacking it would require a lot of time.”

“That does sound like an issue…” Bill didn’t like that this actually needed his friend’s efforts. He’d actually have to play along because there was no way he’d get through that door alone.

“I’ll cause a distraction,” said Stan. “Give me some explosives, I’ll make it look like an accident. Make ‘em look the other way while you guys hack that door.”

“That could work but then we still have to take care of the guards,” Cable said.

“We’ll use the sedative Gideon made to knock them out. There should still be some in the room Dipper and I fell into,” Sahir said. “Fordsy and I managed to make an antidote in case Gideon has the same idea.”

“And then I-  _ we _ cross through the gate,” Bill said.

“We split up to find Dipper and Gideon,” Ford added. 

“And then pray that the way back won’t be too crowded,” Mabel said.

A conflicted smile, sad perhaps, played on Bill’s lips. She wouldn’t have to worry about that.

They spent a couple more hours planning and preparing. They had everything they needed and there was no point in waiting any longer. For all they knew, Dipper could be dead already.

**▽▽▽**

“Ugh, can you even consider that water?” Sahir pulled up his nose.

Bill looked at the sewage in front of them. It was a muddy green and smelled like pure chemicals, burning at the back of his throat and in his eyes. If they stayed down here for too long they’d probably suffocate. “Let’s just go before the smell embeds itself into my nose.”

“Please!” Jimbo pinched his nose. Originally Bill thought Jimbo wouldn’t want to come. He wasn’t a fighting type and clearly not in control of his powers yet but he was also a good friend of Dipper’s and he had gotten everyone together in the first place. 

Sahir stretched his arms, then held them to the water. It split, creating a narrow pathway for them to walk through. “Here we go!”

Bill went directly after Sahir, pushing his wheelchair forward. He swallowed when they went deeper and the fluids went all the way around them. The fumes already burned his lungs, he didn’t want to know what touching the waste itself would do. Probably sear through his flesh and gnaw at his bones.

The rest of them followed and soon all of the air was cut off. 

“We need to go more to the right,” said Cable. He had the map of the place. If he made a mistake and they took too long to get back to the surface, they might actually suffocate. Or drown. Or get blood poisoning. Bill had seen Sahir do crazier things for longer so he wasn’t particularly worried about the bubble collapsing.

Luckily, the ground went upwards and soon they were in front of a big tunnel that pumped out sludge. They had to go through  _ there?  _ Bill shot a look at Sahir. He was panting but seemed fine otherwise. He would handle it.

Sahir pushed against the force of the liquids. Brows furrowed. Sweat started to bead on his forehead. Finally, the liquid gave in. “Come on get moving! This is getting harder the more liquid I have to hold back!”

Everyone went in the tunnel behind Sahir. They moved fast but got slower with each step. Sahir churned his teeth. “Everyone to the right, I’ll let some of it through.”

Bill stepped to the right, checking if everyone behind him did the same. “Alright, good to go.”

Sahir drew back one hand and part of the left side was flooded instantly. The fluid barrelled past them like a river in spring. A couple of droplets landed on his suit, sizzling as it embedded itself into the fabric. Yeah, this wasn’t dangerous at all. 

Sahir put his hand back up and they started moving again. With one final push and a groan, they were through. 

Bill took a deep breath. The air smelled slightly less bad. But only slightly. The room they arrived at looked fairly new but worn down from the liquid and fumes. “Cable, are we correct?”

“Yes. Left door, down the hallway. I’ll try freezing the cameras for a bit.” Cable started typing on his tablet.

“Perfect,” Bill said. All according to plan this far.

Sahir unlocked the door to the hallway for them, letting Diabo check for guards while Cable hacked into the system.

“Are we ready?” Cable’s finger hovered over his tablet.

“There’s two guards. I’ll get them,” said Diabo.

“No murder, the cameras will go back online,” said Ford who typed away at his tablet.

Diabo rolled his eyes. He flicked his wrist, then rushed into the hallway.

A voice came from the hallway. “Ouch! Man, why did you hit me!?”

Bill pulled up a brow, looking at Diabo.

Another voice. “Sorry, dude. I didn’t mean to do that!”

Diabo signalled them to follow him and dove into the hallway. They went after him as silently as possible but the two guards were too busy talking to notice. The hallways here were littered with crates, metal pieces and some of the tubes Bill had seen in the laboratories before except these looked brand new. He felt his gut drop at the thought that one of them might be for Dipper. 

Other than that, this hallway had several doors and Bill had no clue where to go. “Which one?”

Sahir pointed at a door and whispered. “This is the room.”

He unlocked the door. The room was filled with vials, some broken on the floor. The vent going across the ceiling was bent and part of it laid across the room.

“And you fell into this, Sahir?” asked Ford. 

“Yep! I can tell you that this garbage is no fun at all in comparison to the drug I’m making! It just made me kinda sleepy, courtesy of demonic blood.”

Bill stepped through the broken glass and liquid on the floor, palming the vial of antidote in his pocket Ford had given him. A little bit of this stuff shouldn’t do any harm but in higher concentrations? 

“Stop wasting time. This isn’t an amusement park.” Diabo grabbed several vials, pouring what was left of the sedative into a bottle. Well, pouring was an overstatement. Each vial only had a couple drops left in it so it wasn’t much overall.

“Do we have enough?” asked Bill.

“It should be good. If not we can always go back to Diabo splattering people’s guts on the floor,” said Sahir. 

Jimbo cringed, saying exactly what Bill was thinking. “Let’s not do that.”

Everyone went back in the hallway and continued making their way through, except for Stan who went into the opposite direction to cause some chaos. As expected, more guards walked around the closer to the breach they got and for a while they snuck past by hiding behind crates.

At a certain point, the hallways turned less cluttered to the point that there was no way they could just waltz by these guys like before. There were no more hiding opportunities. They had to act fast. The longer they took, the longer the cameras would be offline and the more likely it would be for someone to notice.

Cable stopped them just as they were about to turn the next corner, speaking quietly. “The breach is right around here. I don’t know how many guards there are but we have to be careful.”

Sahir peeked around. “There’s six. Two of them are behind glass, I can’t shoot the sedative through there.”

Bill carefully looked around as well. Indeed, there were six guards in front of a huge metal door that was impossible to open by hand. Two of the guards sat in little surveillance houses encased by metal and glass. “I can probably shock them through the metal.”

Cable turned on his comdev. “Stan, are you ready?”

“Yup. Just need to press the trigger.”

Cable nodded at Bill and Sahir. “One… Two… Three…  _ Go!” _

There was a big BOOM coming out from Stan’s side of the comdev. The guards in the surveillance cubes talked frantically. Hopefully the camera guy was distracted enough. 

Bill pressed his hands to the wall, focusing on the two guards. Sending electricity into metal was one thing, but directing it in a way that he didn’t fry anyone else but those two was a challenge. “Sorry in advance if I grill the rest of you.”

He let go of the energy he was holding but not of the focus. He could watch sparks coming off the metal, past the other four guards and into the cubes. The two guys spasmed and collapsed, alarming the other four.

One second later, Sahir whirled out some of the sedative, formed it into needle thin darts and shot the rest. They all collapsed within seven seconds. Sahir put his hands on his hips. “I’m seriously carrying this mission. If I don’t get a spa day, no, spa  _ week _ after this, I’ll be very pissed.”

“You can have a spa month if we get out of here,” Bill said.

They rushed down the hallway to the gate and Cable entered one of the cubes to connect his tablet with a multitude of cables and adapters. “I need Jimbo and Sahir to melt or disable the mechanical lock.”

Jimbo nodded and Ford went to instruct him on the weak points of the door. Sahir went to work on the lock while Diabo and Mabel stood on watch in case anyone should come up from behind them. They were all working together like a perfect team. It was almost sad that Bill had different plans.

In the meantime, Bill pressed his hands to the door, trying to feel for the electronics inside. He didn’t usually do this which was why he felt blind. Bill silently cursed himself. He should’ve trained this ability more often. He could easily make out everyone touching the door. Jimbo, Sahir and Ford. They would make great conductors.

“Alright, I’m ready,” Cable said, stepping out of the cube. “Everyone step back.”

Everyone backed off a couple steps. Bill did too, just standing slightly in front of the others. He took a deep breath. He could do this. If he messed this up, he’d have more than one problem. 

Cable pressed onto his tablet. Nothing happened. The door stayed perfectly shut.

“Well, this was a waste of time,” Sahir muttered.

But then it groaned horribly, the two pieces sliding apart. Bill’s heart hammered against his chest. As soon as they were wider apart than a foot, he grabbed Cable’s tablet and sprinted, pressing himself through the opening, then turning around. The other’s stared in shock but didn’t seem to get it yet.

Ford pulled up a brow. “There’s no point in rushing, we all have to-”

Bill shook his head. “No. This is where we part ways.”

He gripped the door as Ford’s eyes went wide. He felt the systems within, having no idea if this would even work. Bill released a loud groan as he set free an explosive amount of energy. 

The door sizzled and the two sides practically rammed into each other as the lights in the hallway went off. He was alone.

Bill sighed, leaning against the door for a second as the lights flickered back on. He knew he made the right decision. His friends would just become leverage again. It was his job to get Dipper out of here and take care of Gideon.

He took a look at the tablet. It had a bunch of gibberish on it that Bill didn’t understand. He flipped through the open windows until he found the map. The red glowing point was him, directly behind the second breach. He had to get to the area marked in yellow. Dipper could be in any one of those cells. Any one of those 30.

Alright, there was no time to waste. Bill started sprinting. He had one hallway to go until he arrived at the cells. That hallway happened to be heavily patrolled by at least three or four couples. 

His lips pressed into a line. He couldn’t take cover and if he just sprinted, there was a good chance they’d shoot him first. The hallway was too long for him to send electricity through all the way. His gaze flicked up at the lamps. He could temporarily disable them by causing a short circuit. It wouldn’t be long until Gideon discovered something was wrong so he might as well give up cover.

Bill took a deep breath before sending a bolt for the lamps. As soon as the lights went off, he sprinted like crazy, pushing someone to the side as he dove for the door to the cells. 

Fuck. The door. 

He pressed his hands against it, ducking as guns went off behind him. He managed to open the door and jam it shut just like the gate. Bullets panged against the metal but he was safe for now.

Bill took a breather. Eyes watched him from every corner, locked behind bars. Hopeful. Desperate. Angry. Bill felt sick. All of them looked like they had been here for a while and he didn’t even want to know what they had to endure. Bill walked past, glancing left and right as his heart hammered in his ears. 

Not Dipper. Still not Dipper. Not Dipper. 

He got to the last cell. Still no Dipper.

Bill slammed his hand against the door that led out the other way and shouted. “Gideon that fucking bastard!”

Where the hell was Dipper!? He couldn’t have been too late! Dipper had to live!

“Are- are you looking for someone?” A small, raspy voice asked him. 

Bill wiped the unshed tears from his eyes, glaring at whoever dared to talk to him right now. His eyes found a girl. She was small and looked young despite her sunken in face. Maybe she could help him. “What do you know about a short boy with curly brown hair and a birthmark on his forehead?”

“Will you let me out if I tell you?” she asked, eyes glittering like he was offering her a whole buffet when she hadn’t eaten in weeks.

Bill looked at the locks. Electrical. He nodded. 

“They brought him to one of the dark cells. Out that door. It’s guarded.”

Thank the stars, Dipper was probably alive. “Thank you.”

Bill unlocked the cells, all of them, before he rushed out. He could see the room the girl meant right away. One guard stood opposite to it, watching something on his phone. Bill didn’t waste a second and took him out with a single bolt. 

He pried the door open with brute force. The room was completely dark. Bill frowned. He wouldn’t fall for the same trick again. “I know you’re in here, Gideon.”

But it was completely silent. Bill turned on the flashlight of Cable’s tablet. Besides a few crates, the room was empty. His chest tightened.

No. Were they too late? Had they taken too long?

He looked down the hallway. Was this the wrong room? 

Dipper couldn’t be dead. Not like this.

Bill’s eyes fell on shackles. They were open. He spotted a key next to them as well as a pried open vent. Relief washed over Bill. Dipper got out on his own.

And that was when the all too familiar alarm started wailing. 

“Fuck! Not again.  _ Not again! _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright super off topic as always but I just released an animation meme featuring this Bill and Jimbo on my YouTube channel. They do be lacking some clothing.
> 
> https://youtu.be/0LS0IxQs7DA


	34. Execution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One day late bc I've been grinding in Genshin and can't think about anything else but here it is :') Have fun.

Dipper wasn’t sure if Gideon had sent Aeon to his cell out of good will or as some twisted form of torture. The man had been left a complete wreck, eye sockets caved in from dehydration and exposure to whatever drugs they pumped into him. 

The first day, Dipper asked about what Bill had told him. That Aeon was sent to protect him and if their relationship, their friendship, had been superficial. However he got no answers. 

Aeon hadn’t even been able to talk. Dipper couldn’t even be angry at him. Not even upset. Aeon looked so weak. So broken. 

Aeon just sat in silence, eyes hazy, until eventually something changed. A look of recognition spilled over his face before he broke into silent tears. Dipper had done his best to comfort him and eventually, Aeon fell asleep.

With the warmth of another body at his side, Dipper got some rest as well. Even though he had so many questions roaming in his head. He woke up what felt like hours before Aeon which he used to consider several options to break out. They could use one of the random metal pieces laying around to sever their shackles. It would take a while though. Likely too long.

“The real problem will be getting through the door…” Dipper whispered absentmindedly.

Aeon shifted, rousing to sit. “I’m glad that I… get to hear you again… one more time...”

Dipper gasped. “Aeon- Are you okay?”

The man snorted. “I have never been better.”

“No seriously, I can heal you.” Dipper wanted to bombard him with questions but he couldn’t yet. He needed to make sure Aeon was fine. “I’m the angel they’ve been looking for but… I suppose you would already know this.”

Aeon stared at Dipper, eyes turning melancholic. “Bill told you, didn’t he?”

“Yeah…” Dipper looked to the ground. “Aeon... I need to know. We’re we real? Or was I just a job to you?”

Aeon leaned against a crate. Brushing back his tangled hair. “At first you were just a job. I was very depressed at the time and it gave me purpose, if only a shallow one. But then I got to know you.” Aeon smiled. “You helped me get back on the right path. Even when I lost my vision and I will never forget all you’ve done for me.”

Dipper’s eyes were wet with tears. If they were happy ones or sad, he couldn’t tell. “Aeon…”

Aeon’s smile dropped. “It all doesn’t matter anymore. I’m not getting out of here.”

“No! I won’t let you die, we’ll get out of here together!” No matter what Aeon did, Dipper couldn’t ever abandon him. 

“You don’t understand. They’ll take me away today, Dipper.” Aeon looked away. “They’ll take me away and use me. And if I don’t give in, they’ll make me into an amulet.”

Then all Bill had said was true. “You’re not human either.”

“Correct. I’m part demon… part angel. I can feel the power of others and block it as well. Unfortunately I also happen to be able to amplify powers.”

So he was almost like Tom then? Except he could also find power and not just block it. “...Why did you never say anything?”

“I wanted to but I wasn’t allowed. Exactly because of this scenario,” Aeon said. “Plus, I couldn’t risk it. We both sell well on the black market.”

“Allowed? What do you mean?” Dipper felt his stomach turn at the thought of Aeon being sold. Dipper had experienced what it felt like so he couldn’t be mad at Aeon. 

Aeon shook his head. “That’s another story and this isn’t the place to cut into it.”

Sitting on the dirty ground in shackles? Yeah, not the best place. “How did you get here in the first place?”

“Gideon kidnapped me to help search you but I resisted and so they-” he motioned to all of his body, weak and bony, “did  _ this _ to me. Then you came here… and soon they’ll come to get me a-and-”

Aeon started trembling. What tortures did he have to endure? What had they done to him?

Dipper embraced Aeon. “I won’t let them take you”

“I-I…” Aeon took a deep breath. “How are you planning to get out?”

Dipper’s lips pressed into a line. Truth be told, he had no clue. “I… don’t know. All my ideas to get out of the shackles would take too long. When are they coming?”

Aeon opened his mouth but stopped. Listening.

Footsteps. 

Dipper sat up, eyes wide. “No. No not yet!”

The door slammed open and two guards stepped in. They grabbed Aeon, unshackling him. “You’re coming with us.”

“No! You can’t take him!” Dipper yelled, scrambling to his knees. One of the guards kicked his leg and Dipper winced.

“Be quiet! We’re getting you soon as well!”

“You can do it without me, Dipper,” said Aeon. Something clanked to the floor. “I believe in you.”

“No! Please!” Tears rolled down Dipper’s face. The door slammed shut and he was alone again. How could he do this without Aeon!? How could he try to leave without him!

He sobbed. He cried. His hand hurt as he banged it against the wall. This was his fault. Aeon would suffer, maybe even die, because of him. Eventually, he wiped his tears away and looked up. Something blinded him. What the?

A piece of metal on the floor. Reflecting the light from outside the cell.

_ A key for the shackles. _ Aeon must’ve somehow made them drop it. He dropped it for him. He believed Dipper would get out of here. He wanted Dipper to get out, even if it meant leaving him behind. Dipper buried his face behind his hands. He didn’t want to leave like this. Letting Aeon succumb to his fate. But what was his other option? Stay and die alongside him? 

No, he had to get out. He had family outside of these walls. Mabel was probably mourning him right now. Stan and Ford as well. Sure, they hadn’t known each other for that long but they were still family.

Dipper awkwardly grabbed the key with his foot, fumbled it into his hands and uncuffed himself. He rubbed his red wrists. If he was fast enough, maybe he could save Aeon somehow. But first, how to get out?

He glanced up. It was ironic at this point.

The vents. Of course.

Dipper yanked the metal casing of the vents open. It was dark inside but he didn’t care. The darkness could do nothing to him. He wasn’t a child anymore.

He climbed in, heading into the direction of the main laboratory. The second Gideon had taken him hostage, Dipper had memorized every hallway they went through. There was a door that stood out to him. It was bigger than the others. Heavily guarded. A place where priceless amulets would be made and people would be killed. Including Aeon if he didn’t get there fast enough.

Dipper crawled through, checking his surroundings every time he had access to ventilation slits. He would stop and listen, checking for three pairs of footsteps. 

The alarm went off. Crap! Did they notice he escaped so soon? He had to hurry.

Dipper pushed himself forwards. Careful not to make too much noise when a group of people ran through the hallway below him. Shouting. Gasping. 

Was that… Jimbo!? And Sahir!? Mabel!?

But before he had a chance to react, gunshots rang. Bullets panged on the floor and the walls. There was an enraged snarl, a door shut. More bullets flew. The hit metal. The door.  _ The vent. _

Pain shot through his leg and he cried out. 

“Someone’s in the vent!”

**▽▽▽**

By the time Bill was thrown into one of the closed up cells not unlike the one Dipper had apparently been in, he admitted that going alone had been a mistake. Not even he could handle the armada of guards that practically flooded him and now he was stuck. In this dark cell. Alone and unarmed.

“Fuck.” How would he get out of this one? He’d be stuck, waiting for his death. It wouldn’t surprise him if Gideon shoved him into one of those tubes and made him into an amulet as well. He deserved it at this point. Bill rubbed his head, leaning against the metal wall.

Wait. Metal?

Bill turned around, facing the wall as he traced it with his hands. He could feel the wiring of the door but how much use would that be if he ran right back into the arms of more guards? Bill sighed. It was near impossible to get out now, he could only hope Dipper and the others made it. 

His eyes snapped to the door when it was opened abruptly. Someone else was thrown in and Bill didn’t recognize them at first. 

The person groaned as they got up. The wound in their leg wouldn’t stop bleeding until they touched it. 

_ “Dipper.” _

Dipper’s head whipped around, eyes wide before his face slowly turned hard. “Bill.”

Bill’s chest stung. He wanted to embrace him. Hug him and go back to the way things had been before. Of course he couldn’t expect Dipper to just… be okay with this but that hadn’t stopped him from hoping. “I’m sorry, Dipper. I tried to get you out. It was the least I could do but… I failed.”

Bill waited for Dipper to shout at him. Or to break into tears. But that didn’t happen. Instead he held their eye contact confidently.

“Bill, I’m over it. What you did isn’t important at the moment. I want to save Aeon and get out of here.” 

“I- Yes, of course…” Bill wanted to explain himself but he looked down instead. Somehow Dipper not being angry didn’t make him feel better at all. He just started hurting worse.

Dipper’s voice turned a tad more soft. “Any ideas?”

Bill sighed, motioning for his very basic undersuit. He had no weapons and no armor. No tools. No nothing. He was about to say he had no idea but something was poking his chest. 

“I have a bomb and an antidote.” Bill pulled out a tiny device and the vial. The bomb could be handy for sure but the antidote? Probably not. “The bomb looks cute but it’s deadly within a radius of 25 feet. My plan was to get you out and detonate it in Gideon’s face. That might work out very differently now but I can still try.”

“That sounds very risky on your part...” Dipper mumbled. Was he concerned? Even after what he had done?

At this point Bill didn’t even care if it was risky. If Dipper got out and Gideon was dead, he’d call it a successful day. Life, even. “What other options do we have?”

“Who knows if that’s even gonna work? The bomb might malfunction.”

“It will work. This isn’t a cheap toy. If Gideon gets me out first, I can destroy their technology and take him out.” And possibly himself as well but he’d rather avoid that.

“What about the guards? Won’t they just continue his work even without Gideon?”

If Bill had learned one thing from working with the Gleefuls, it was that most of their subordinates were purely there for the power, not for some ideology and especially not because they liked Gideon. “I don’t think so. None of them actually like Gideon. They’re just here for the money or out of fear. If he’s gone, so will their motivation.”

“Then what if we just try winning the guards over?”

Bill sighed. “It’s not that easy.”

“Still better than blowing yourself up. They have my amplifier somewhere, if I can get that I might be able to manipulate them.”

“Any idea where it could be?” Bill asked.

“Not really…”

Bill hummed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Gideon was wearing it. Not sure how amplifiers and amulets work together but as power hungry as he is I could see him trying.”

“So we only have to steal it from the boss himself. Great. Easy.”

“It can’t get any worse than this anyways.”

**▽▽▽**

A while later, possibly minutes, possibly hours, a group of guards entered the room, freeing both Bill and Dipper from their constraints. This was their last shot. Gideon was a power hungry shark and he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Bill doubted he would ever have enough.

They were brought out of the room and led through the hallways where even more guards waited for them. There was no way to get away. Too many eyes and too many guns.

Some of the walls were riddled with bullet holes and blood. Who had they been shooting at? Had his friends somehow broken through the security breach? If they did, they better have escaped, otherwise his whole going alone plan had completely backfired. 

Bill snorted. How could he have ever been naive enough to think they could win against Gideon? Their little rag tag group of mildly crazy criminals against the main mafia operation that held the whole city in a strangling hold. The cards had been against them and now they would pay the price. 

But Bill would go out fighting.

One of the guards, a bald man right next to them, started talking. “I can’t wait to see what will happen to the demon. Gideon said he never tried making amulets of them!”

The other guard, a dark haired woman, scoffed. “How can you be excited for that? A good chunk of the best guards are demons! If we lose their trust by slaughtering my kind, our security is going to suffer a massive loss.”

A couple of guards agreed.

Oh? Now  _ that _ sounded interesting. Bill glanced at Dipper who seemed to share the same interest.

The bald man looked baffled. “You’re a demon too?”

“Not one with powers but I do share blood. There’s a lot of people like me here,” the dark haired woman said.

“What’s your names?” asked Dipper.

“Veronica.”

“Lars,” said the bald man.

“I’m Bill and this is Dipper. Pleasure is on my side.” Bill chimed in. Maybe Dipper’s plan would come to fruition after all. “Looks like Gideon chose the wrong cards to play then. I bet the demons will unite and try kicking that jerks chubby ass. Sadly, I’ll miss that whole fiasco.”

Lars looked panicked. “No, I’m sure Gideon has it under control! He wouldn’t let us divide like that!”

“I don’t know, man. Imagine if Gideon was a demon and started abusing humans for power. How would you feel?” asked Dipper.

The guard paused. 

“Exactly. Gideon is just a kid, not a competent leader,” said Bill.

“Who knows, if they band together with the Cipher’s, maybe they’ll destroy this whole place and get rid of all the humans. Trust me, they have some top tier technology there,” Dipper said. “Gideon wouldn’t even have the blueprint for the amulets if he hadn’t stolen it.”

Dipper was thinking excellently today, given their circumstances. He’d tell him he was proud if they weren’t…  _ here. _

“What? But Gideon said he developed it!” said Lars.

Bill snorted. “He developed for years. It always came with massive failures and a ton of deaths and suddenly it’s perfect? Sounds fishy to me.”

“We’re not even supposed to be talking to you!”

“Says who? Your incompetend leader Mr Fat Cheeks himself? And you’re going to blindly obey his orders?” Bill grinned. “You know what happens to dictatorships. North Korea didn’t hold up well. Remember 2025?”

“Be quiet,” an older guard snarled.

They had arrived at the laboratory. The massive doors slid open. Behind them was a large room filled with machinery Bill had no names for. Amongst them were huge tanks filled with glowing liquids. The orange juice press, if you will.

Gideon stood in front of one of the open tanks. They had shackles inside. So those were where their energy would get sucked out of their bodies. Didn’t look like a comfortable death.

Gideon turned to them, a bright smile on his face. Like they’d thought, he wore both an amulet and the amplifier. Bill glanced at Dipper, signaling him to see what he saw. Dipper nodded slightly.

“Cipher and Mason! Finally!” Gideon clapped his hands together. “I heard you volunteered for early access?”

“Yeah. I can’t wait to become a puddle and have life essence taken away,” said Dipper sarcastically. Then his voice turned slightly shakier. “Where’s Aeon?”

“Oh of course! How rude of me for assuming you didn’t want to see your dear little guardian angel one last time before returning to heaven!” Gideon waved at his guards and they pushed in Aeon. He looked like a mess. Hair tangled and clothes rearranged, barely sentient. The sedative must’ve really gotten to him.

“Aeon!” Dipper ran over, giving him a hug before the guards pulled him off. Aeon’s face lit up for a second. 

Gideon walked over to them. “He’s proven to be very useful actually! I decided to keep him as a pet, he can sniff out magic for me!”

“Aeon is not a dog!” Dipper yelled.

“He will be soon enough. He already craves the sedative, soon he’ll break and do anything I say in order to get another dose.” Gideon whistled and Aeon trotted over.

“No! You’ll kill him!”

“What? No! I take care of my pets!” Gideon grabbed Aeon’s shoulder, pushing him down to use as a chair. “He’s going to live a very long and very despairing life. I will keep him here to enjoy the show!”

How could such a young person be so cruel? Bill’s mouth curled up in disgust.

“Anyways, do we start with the main dish or the side appetizer?” Gideon looked at him when he said ‘appetizer’. 

How dare he. Bill was a whole ass buffet and he knew it. He bit down the reply, instead playing along. “Everyone knows you start with the appetizer. I thought you’d know that. Apparently your hair is so big to make up for your pea brain.”

Gideon glared at him. “You first then-”

Aeon collapsed, taking Gideon down with him.

“You filthy-!” Gideon wailed around as Aeon tried to help him up. “Get off of me! Get off! Get Cipher and don’t touch me!”

Was it just Bill or did Aeon look at Dipper and then him as he walked over, deliberately?

Aeon grabbed Bill’s hand. He felt something cold and smooth.  _ Oh. _

The amplifier. Aeon must’ve stolen it for them. Then he dragged Bill towards the tube by his arm. Everything according to plan.

“No! Bill!” Dipper grabbed his hand. Bill winked at Dipper and he let go with a look of understanding.

The guards pushed Bill towards the tube. 

“Are you really going to let him do this?” Dipper asked in desperation, turning towards all of the guards. Bill could feel his energy resonating in the room. “Are you really going to let him murder one of your own kind? Many of you are just like him! You share blood!”

Gideon laughed. “Don’t be silly. I know what you’re trying to do and it’s not happening. But by all means, continue.”

Dipper looked startled but collected himself. “Veronica here has demonic blood! I’m sure some of you know her well. Maybe some of you are her friends. What if Gideon decides to start slaughtering guards like her? If she had powers, Gideon might consider her more useful pressed into a tiny amulet!”

Veronica looked up to him. She looked like she actually considered what he was saying. Others were looking too.  _ Listening. _

“Gideon is a kid! A few years younger than I am! Would you let  _ me _ decide what you do? A young adult who knows nothing about life? About having a family?” 

“No… I wouldn’t,” said Veronica. Some of the guards agreed. Was it working?

“Then why are you letting him? You can take charge! Together we can end this tyranny!”

PANG.

Bill panicked. Blood splattered all over Dipper. His eyes wide. No.  _ No! _

But it wasn’t Dipper’s body that dropped to the floor. It was Veronica’s.

“Sorry, we tolerate traitors here.” Gideon aimed his gun through the room. “Anyone else?”

The guards shrunk into themselves, shaking their heads.

Gideon walked over to Dipper, gun still raised, sneering. “You thought I wouldn’t notice, huh? Give me back the amplifier.”

Well, that was a plan gone to shit. 

Dipper looked at Bill, panicked. At that point they didn’t have a choice anymore. Bill nodded and Dipper handed it over.

“Such a pretty thing, isn’t it? So strong in the right hands.” Gideon marvelled at the jewel. “Too bad it’s useless to me.”

He threw it to the ground and it exploded into tiny pieces. 

“No!” Dipper yelled, dropping to his knees to collect the shards.

“Now, let’s get to the fun part,” said Gideon. Bill did not like the smirk splitting his face. “Put the demon in there.”

Bill let himself be shoved into the tube. The guards cuffed his legs. 

He had to be fast now. This would be incredibly risky but if it worked out like he imagined, he might get to see the end of it.

Bill looked at Dipper who sat nearby, picking up pieces of gem. He motioned for him to move back with his eyes. Dipper looked confused. ‘Back off’ he mouthed silently.

Dipper’s eyes widened. He shook his head.

‘Do it.’

The guards blocked his vision, grabbing his arms. Gideon came closer.

He would blow that stupid grin off his face.

Bill tore his arms free and reached for his breast pocket before throwing something. The guards got a hold of him again and cuffed him while his heartbeat skyrocketed. 

Five.

“Are you trying to distract us with pebbles?” Gideon sneered. “Cute.”

Four.

The glass of the tub closed around him, muffling the voices. Cold water poured in rapidly and Bill shuddered. 

Three.

The water was up to his chest already. 

Two.

Bill held his breath, holding back a chuckle as the guards showed Gideon the ‘pebble’.

One.

He could barely make out their eyes going wide through the water. Bill grinned triumphantly.

The last thing Bill saw was Dipper’s face as he punched the tube. Then everything exploded.

**▽▽▽**

Dipper struggled against the guards. “Bill! No! Let him go!” 

He couldn’t let them take him. Magic pulsed through him and the guards let him go. Dipper ran towards the tube but it was already closed. His fists banged against glass. “BILL!”

Someone slammed into him. He hit the ground. 

BOOM.

Glass shattered. Dipper’s ears rang. Water splashed. He couldn’t breathe.  _ He couldn’t breathe. _

Shouting. Gasping for air.

Bill.

_ Bill. _

Dipper shoved the body off of him. He sprinted to the tube. Or at least where it was supposed to be.

No.  _ Nononono- _

Bill laid on the ground, clothes torn, in between rubble of machinery and glass. Half of his body was angry red. Burned. The water around him turned crimson.

Dipper threw himself next to him, uncaring of the glass digging into his knees. He checked his pulse. Nothing.

“Please- You can’t-” If he didn’t do anything now, he would never get to see his golden blue eyes again. Never hear his voice. Never hold his hand in his own. Never settle what had happened.

Dipper planted his hands on Bill’s chest. He had the power to do it. Just not the practice.

Focus on his heart. He closed his eyes.

Dipper focused his power. He sent it through himself to Bill. This had to work.  _ It had to. _

He pushed and he pushed, feeling himself draining. Blood dripped from his nose. 

Come on. COME ON.

The amplifier. Dipper’s eyes snapped open, hands scrambling over the ground.

He picked up a blue shard. It may be broken but that didn’t mean it was useless.

Dipper pressed it to Bill’s chest, focusing all of his energy. All that was left. Were his hands glowing or was that his imagination?

His vision went black. The last thing he felt was the subtle warmth of Bill’s chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHAHAHAhahaha ha ha.... yeah. On the more positive side, I have a one shot ready to post soon :')


	35. Wounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're nearing the end! Thanks to Pinetreeshapedtriangles and PicyKitty for commenting on the last chapter!

Everything was dark. He couldn’t feel. He couldn’t hear. He couldn’t smell and he couldn’t taste. It was void. Nothing.

Who was he? He didn’t know. Was he even a he? Maybe. 

He didn’t feel time pass. How long had it been? A day? A year? Eons? How long had it been since when? What happened?

A voice echoed through the void. Finally something.

He couldn’t understand it at first. It was distant. Quiet.

A girl. She talked to him. Something about ‘hope’. About ‘staying with her’.

Who was she? And why should he stay with her? 

As time went by, he wasn’t sure how fast, the voice became clearer. Less distorted.

_ I’m so sorry. _

Was she crying?

_ Please. Don’t give up on us. _

A droplet hit his hand. He felt it. Cold and wet.

Then it started to rain. Water washed over him but he didn’t mind. It felt good after all that time of darkness.

It rained a lot and it didn’t stop for a while. It was as if he could feel every droplet hit his skin and roll down his form until it eventually hit the ground.

Another voice filled his head. It was lower and less gentle but filled with affection and sorrow.

_ Kiddo, your sister’s real worried about ya. I’d listen to her if I were you. Wouldn’t want her to suffocate you with hugs. _

Sister? Sister. He had a sister. Right. 

A single ray of light warmed his hand.

The voice spoke again. He almost thought it was the same one but they sounded slightly different.

_ Dipper, I know you probably can’t hear me but we are here for you. I’m sorry for what happened. We will make it up to you.  _

Dipper. That was his name, no, nickname. He was Mason. Mason Pines. And he had a birthmark on his forehead shaped like the Big Dipper. His twin sister was Mabel Pines and they hadn’t met until recently because of-

The sun blinded him.

Bill. 

Bill, where was Bill? What happened to him? He had heard his family. They were fine. But what about Bill?

Bill died. That’s all he could remember. His lifeless body on the ground with shards of glass in his hair. He died for him. He died to save Dipper. 

_ Please wake up, Dipper. Please!  _

Dipper opened his mouth to speak. Nothing came out. Did he have a tongue? A mouth? Could he even speak?

Silence reigned for a while. Nothing, not even his thoughts amidst the void.

Until the air carried a gentle tune. Far away yet so close.

_ Hsn'f vsu uibgtus qvwz w ggvow, zsue _

A piano. He could hear it. Note by note.

_ Fimg ign o qulda, rynu _

Was that…? It couldn’t be.

He recognized the song. It was slower and more mournful than when he heard it the last time. 

The last time had been when… 

The sound was so clear, so real. Dipper felt that he could touch it if he tried. He needed to get to that piano, just in case. But he didn’t know how to move. The void was endless. He wouldn’t get far.

_ Zch'g owp hbvv hwfnvqy qdmrw qki _

Wake up. He had to wake up!

His eyes flew open. Dipper found himself in a white hospital room filled with plants. The music hadn’t stopped.

_ “I'll not forget you, sweetheart.” _

Was he still dreaming?

**▽▽▽**

Bill woke up to a blinding light. So this was it? Was he dead?

The pain set in, taking over the whole left side of his body. “Ah- Fuck.”

Bill blinked and his eyes slowly adjusted. He was in a white room, laying in a white bed. The hospital. What happened?

Then the memories came flooding in. The break in. Leaving his friends behind. Failing to find Dipper. It was too much. He couldn’t breathe he couldn’t-

Dipper. He had been in a cell with him. Then they got taken out to a laboratory. Bill got put in the tub and-

The bomb. No. Dipper had been so close. Too close. What if he was dead? 

Bill scrambled up, wincing at the stretching pain all over him. He had a hard time moving due to compression garments. 

“Kh- You annoying little-” Bill tore off a piece of nylon from his arm. It was red. And charred. He could see his muscle between the gaps of a skin graft. 

His stomach turned. It twisted. He shouldn’t be feeling sick right now he had seen way worse. Bill bent over and spilled his guts next to the bed. Holy fuck. Holy shit.

Nurses came rushing in, asking a billion questions and trying to get him to lay back down.

“Where is Dipper!?” Bill yelled. “WHERE IS HE!?”

They ignored him so he threw himself out of the bed only to realize he couldn’t stand. He came crashing down and passed out.

**▽▽▽**

The last couple of weeks had been rough for Bill. He spent a lot of time in this private hospital that was way too bleak for his tastes. Everything was so awfully white and precise. Too orderly. And none of the nurses had a sense of humor.

Even though he couldn’t do much at all the first week with most of his body wrapped in compression garments, the nurses still had him walk and stretch several hours a day to help his skin remain flexible. It was practically torture. Every movement hurt and he had to suppress his urge to scratch himself. He did it once and oh had he regretted it.

At the start of the second week, the Pines visited. Without Dipper. 

Bill sighed. A question burned on his tongue but he didn’t know if he was ready to ask yet. All four of them didn’t seem to know where to start, awkwardly looking around. The energy between them was uncomfortable but they didn’t seem glum. “If you don’t want to talk to me then you shouldn’t.”

Ford opened his mouth but Mabel went and threw her arms around Bill. 

“Thank you-” she sobbed, “thanks for saving him!”

Dipper was alive.  _ Dipper was alive. _ Bill bit down the pain from Mabel’s embrace, exhaling when she let go. “I owed as much.”

“You could’ve left him to Gideon and lived your life.” She reached out to pat his wounded shoulder but stopped with a chuckle. “I’m proud you did the right thing.”

Bill smiled for the first time since he had woken up. It was a small smile, barely visible, but it was there. However, it quickly vanished. “What happened to him? Where is he?”

“He... he’s unharmed but in a coma.”

Oh. That was good yet bad at the same time and Bill didn’t know how to feel about it. If the coma had lasted this long… “What did they say?”

“They think he’ll be up soon,” Ford said.

Bill sighed. He would be fine. He had to be.

As soon as the Pines left, Bill asked to visit Dipper. One of his nurses, the one with long brown hair and a very cute irish accent, led him down a floor. She opened the door for him but stayed outside. Thankfully.

He held his breath. Dipper looked just like an angel in the afternoon sun. His skin glowed. Face as soft as ever. Eyes closed with his chest raising and falling ever so slightly. 

Bill walked over slowly, quietly, as if he didn’t want to rouse him, and sat down on a chair next to the bed. He wanted to say something. Anything. But he didn’t know what so he remained silent. Taking the time to look at Dipper. His face was slightly bruised and Bill wanted to cup a scratch on his cheek. He stopped just an inch away. What right did he have to touch Dipper? Would Dipper be okay with this? After all that happened, probably not. So he stayed, silently, and watched. 

The sound of the machine's rhythmical beeping became his meditation. It was comforting in a weird way. Bill didn’t think he had ever been so quiet in his entire life. He blamed it on the painkillers.

Bill continued to visit Dipper every day, hoping he might be able to catch him waking up. When the first week passed and he was able to walk again, yet Dipper hadn’t woken up, that’s when he worried. His worry only grew each day. 

He visited Dipper a lot. He wasn’t sure what to say, so he didn’t. He wanted to hold him. Sleep next to him. But he felt that would be inappropriate. Sure, Dipper had said he didn’t care back in the cell but Bill knew there was more to it. Dipper hadn't fully forgiven him and he might never.

The nurses would occasionally usher him out. They looked at him weird, probably wondering why he would come to Dipper’s room and just. Sit there. Doing nothing.

Then came the day he had been dreading. He was allowed to take the compression garments off. Not only allowed to but he  _ had to. _ A nurse wanted to help him but he sent her out. The nylon clung to him almost like a second skin and peeling it off his face felt wrong, yet freeing. 

Bill looked into the mirror of his tiny hospital bathroom. He saw himself. His eyes were still as striking as ever. The right side of his face was the same it had been. Dark skin, flawless except for a couple of scratches. The left side however…

He was covered in scars, having collected many over the years. Knife fights, bullet holes, axe wounds, you name it. Each one of them had a story and he was proud of them. What didn’t kill you made you stronger.

But this was different. He wouldn’t dare call it a scar. It was hideous. Ugly. It utterly consumed him.

The left side of his body burned. The heat of the explosion cut into his dark skin, boiled it off, revealing what’s beneath. Disgusting. He wanted to tear it off. Throw it aside and have his old skin back. 

Bill looked like a monster. He was a monster.

He turned away and called the nurse to make her wrap him up again. He couldn’t look at himself like this. It was too grotesque. Too horrifying. She suggested daily massages to ease the skin but Bill only laughed at that. How could he let anyone else see what an abomination he was if he couldn’t even look at himself?

Just as the nurse went and left Bill alone with himself, the door was thrown open and Jimbo waltzed in. “Hey, big boy!”

He went for a hug but made sure not to touch Bill’s wounded side. Bill smiled slightly, letting go of the previous thoughts. He was glad Jimbo visited as often as he did. “Hey.”

Jimbo squinted at him, looking up and down. “You’ve been losing weight, haven’t you?”

Bill sighed. Curse Jimbo’s incredible aim. That hit right where it hurt. “Yeah. I’m not allowed to do my usual exercises for a while. Bye bye hard-earned muscle tissue.”

“What about the compression things? Didn’t you say you were allowed to take them off now?”

“I did.” Bill walked over to the window, leaning against the frame as he looked out. Kids were playing in the yard. Chasing each other around. “I am allowed to take them off but I still have to wear them most of the time...”

“But… that’s not all, is it?” Jimbo leaned against the wall opposite to Bill.

“No. It’s not.” Bill snorted, feeling his eyes stinging again. He chuckled though it could also be considered a sob. He frowned, debating whether he should show him. Whether he  _ could _ show him. His hands reached up behind his head to take off the nylon from his face. He felt it lift off of his sensitive skin. 

Jimbo stared at him. Then he smiled like he always did. “ _ Oh, Bugbear. _ ”

Bill looked to the side, blinking the tears away before two arms gently embraced him. 

“It will get better. A couple of scars don’t change who you are,” Jimbo said. 

“They  _ won’t _ get better. Not by much.”

“They show what you’ve been through. What you’ve survived.”

“But isn’t that change?” Bill asked.

“You’re still the same person, Bill.”

Bill knew he wasn’t the same. He didn’t feel the same. That just left the question if he had gotten better or worse.

“So, do you want me to be your masseur?” Jimbo asked.

“What? How did you-?”

“The doors here aren’t very isolated. I heard the nurse talk,” Jimbo said. “But it’s fine if you don’t want this. I understand.”

“I…” Bill wanted to decline his offer immediately but he stopped himself. He trusted Jimbo and Jimbo had already seen his scars. At least the ones on his face. “You know what? Fine.”

Jimbo immediately made him lay down on the bed while he went to get massage oil. Whenever Jimbo came to visit, Bill let him massage the wounds and to be fair, he didn’t regret it. It also sparked some conversations between them that made Bill think. 

They made him think about his whole life. About his business. About morality. And sometimes even about his family and himself.

Who was he anymore? He wasn’t a drug addict on the street. He wasn’t the savage upcoming crime boss. He wasn’t the young adult, hungry for money and power. He wasn’t the casino owner who would sell someone for his own gain. But then who was he? And what did he want?

He couldn’t continue doing things the way he had been. It felt wrong. And that alone would’ve been laughable to him before he met Dipper.

He felt empty once more. Purposeless. He had no goal. No objective other than to talk to Dipper. For the first time, he could not have cared less if his entire business was about to crash. But then _ what  _ did he want?

The rest of Bill’s friends discussed expanding their own mafia. Taking over town like they always wanted to. Bill wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do. He didn’t want to become like Gideon. Bill wanted to change things. For the better. This would be hard. Very hard in the type of branche he was involved in. 

So, Bill called for a meeting in the hospital cafeteria. Needless to say, people were looking when several men, most of them dressing rather sleek, had a talk while eating some very mediocre cake.

“I should’ve brought donuts,” Jimbo said.

“I should’ve brought whiskey. I would be sorry for you if you didn’t still owe us money,” Diabo said with a nod towards Bill.

“Well, I’ve been hooked on painkillers so that’s a positive.” Bill shoved a piece of cake into his mouth. He had no clue how to start this.

“Why are we here again?” Cable asked. 

Bill swallowed, almost choking on cake crumbs. “I called you here- because of business.”

“Are you going to spend more money you don’t have?” Sahir sneered but a smudge of chocolate frosting on his nose made him hard to take seriously.

“No. Quite the opposite actually.” Bill took a deep breath. Once he said this there was no going back. The eyes staring into his skull didn’t help. “I’m going to close the casino.”

Diabo’s gaze darkened and Sahir dropped his piece of cake. “WHA-”

“Not permanently!” Bill interrupted before either of them had the chance to strangle him. “And not right away! The profits until then will go to you two. To repay the funds and… a bit extra for all the hassle.”

“Was about time,” Diabo grumbled. Good thing he hadn’t expected anyone to thank him.

“Why are you closing it all the sudden?” Jimbo asked. “You fought so hard for that place.”

Bill sighed, looking to Sahir, Diabo and Cable. “Laugh at me all you want but I feel guilty for what I’ve done and I want to make it up. The casino is nothing but a sham to profit from broken people.”

“Ha!” Sahir nudged Diabo with his elbow. “See, told ya the kid got into his head.”

“I will close down the casino and open a restaurant in its place along with the hotel I’ve been planning,” Bill said.

“The floating pyramids?” Jimbo asked.

“Yep. I know it’s ambitious but I know I can pull it off.” Bill paused. He was hoping the others would want to support him but honestly? He’d call himself happy if only Jimbo agreed. “ _ We _ , if you guys want to.”

Jimbo nodded enthusiastically. “Of course! I’ll support you.”

Cable crossed his arms, pursing his lips. “How’s the pay?”

“If it goes accordingly, I promise you won’t be worse off than now,” Bill said.

“Alright, count me in. It’s not like I got anything better to do.”

Then Bill looked to Diabo and Sahir. Neither of them looked particularly interested, as expected. 

“We’ll take the casino money but that’s it. We’re out,” Diabo said. As expected.

“So, this is goodbye then?” Bill asked with a sad smile. He cherished the time they had together but it was time to move on. He knew Sahir and Diabo well enough to know they wouldn’t change. Not because of him.

Sahir pushed his wheelchair away from the table. “I guess so.” 

“Hm. Well, it was nice knowing you two. I wouldn’t be here without you,” Bill admitted. This felt a bit like letting go of his old life. Like letting go of a part of himself. 

“This is too sappy for me.” Diabo stood up and walked out without another word.

“Good luck, Mister Himbo man,” Sahir said with a grin before rolling after Diabo. “I definitely won’t miss your stupid face!”

“Me neither!” Bill smirked. He suddenly felt a lot lighter. This was it. He was on the right track.

But of course, as soon as Cable and Jimbo left, the feeling of relief didn’t last too long as reality dawned on him. This was insane. He was going to turn around his whole business from gambling and drugs to hotels and restaurants. And what if people found out about his past? His reputation would be in shambles. Not even mentioning his  _ horrible _ scars. It wasn’t like he could hide under nylon forever.

Bill couldn’t sleep that night. He had too many thoughts running through his head. Too many doubts. Too many regrets. And unfortunately, this became a pattern to the point that he was barely getting sleep at all.

He did eventually find a remedy. The piano in the hallway. He never saw anyone use it but surely it wouldn’t just be there for display. He sat down, gliding his fingers over the keys and started playing. Anything that came to mind. His melodies were very dark. Chaotic. It felt like he was playing himself. 

If nobody came to force him back to bed, he would fall asleep on the keys and wake up to one of the nurses nudging him in the morning. He didn’t miss that glimmer of fear in their eyes. Maybe they knew who he was. Maybe they found his scars as scary as he did. Either way, Bill didn’t feel too welcomed.

After he got released, Bill made himself very busy. He didn't care that his scars were still hurting. He left himself no time to think about what happened. He had thought so much in the span of the last month that he didn’t need to think for the rest of the year. 

He made arrangements with business partners, with friends and of course they kept a close eye on the Gleefuls. It seemed that after Gideon died, they looted everything the bunker had to offer and ran for it. Smart people. 

Bill still visited the hospital a lot. He brought Dipper flowers, in the form of potted plants, of course, to the point that the nurses complained about his room being hard to maneuver. It reminded him of Dipper’s apartment exactly like it should.

He still liked playing the piano whenever he was about to leave, leaving the door to Dipper’s room open on purpose. Who knew, he might wake up to the melody one day. Hopefully.

Today, Bill really got into it despite how tired he was from his day at work. He took his time singing each verse, sometimes adding a few notes that hadn’t been there before in a haze.

_ “We'll meet again.” _

He hit the keys gently and with care, closing his eyes and swaying with the sound. 

_ “Don't know where, don't know when.” _

Then he slowed down. Each note became softer until they faded into nothing. 

_ “But I know we'll meet again some... sunny day.” _

Bill yawned. Honestly, he could fall asleep right then and there. Force of habit. Except he felt eyes on his back.

Bill turned around on his seat. His heart stopped. “...Dipper?”

**▽▽▽**

When Dipper turned that corner and his eyes fell onto Bill, he didn’t know what to say. Then he turned and looked at him. His brilliant eyes met Dipper’s and the boy felt like he set free a whirlwind of emotions within him. Relief, betrayal, happiness and suspicion were only a smidge of what he felt. 

“B-bill.” Dipper stumbled over to him, tripping over his own feet.

“Woah there! Careful!” Bill barely caught him, pulling him on the seat beside him. “Are you alright? Do you want me to call the nurses?”

“No- I…” Dipper threw his arms around Bill, burying his face in his shirt as tears rolled down his face. “Bill- I thought you  _ died- _ ”

Bill hugged him back, his warmth wrapping around him. Dipper felt so comfortable. So  _ safe. _ It was almost too easy to forget all of Bill’s flaws just to be here with him. 

“Well, here I am. Very much not dead,” Bill whispered.

“You- you did die.” Dipper looked up at him, the images of the man laying on the ground flashing by. “I barely managed to revive you. You- You’re so damn lucky, you know that!?”

Bill paused. “You revived me?”

“Yeah…” Dipper guessed that was why he’d been in a coma for… what date was it? “How long has it been?”

“8 months.” 

Dipper’s mouth fell open. He had missed over half a year!?

“Kidding.” Bill grinned

Dipper slapped his chest. “Asshole!” 

“Ah-” Bill flinched away, holding the spot where Dipper hit. He hadn’t even noticed Bill was all bandaged up like that.

“Oh no, sorry! I didn’t realize you’re… is it the burns?”

Bill sighed. “...Yeah… They’re mostly healed now but...”

Dipper didn’t miss how Bill’s gaze turned downwards. He couldn’t blame him though, scars could be nasty. Not that Dipper could vouch for that. “Let me see.”

Bill froze and Dipper was about to take his request back. “Well, go for it, I guess…”

“Are you sure?”

Bill nodded, head turning to the side to give better access to the scars.

Dipper lifted his hands to Bill’s face, carefully unwrapping the bandages. The scars ran across his face like several spikes. They looked red and inflamed with visible marks of where skin had been grafted. He had no idea how uncomfortable Bill must’ve been. Dipper wanted to touch them but he held himself back. “Do they… go all over your body?”

“Pretty much the whole left side, yeah.”

“I…” Dipper kept trying to find eye contact but Bill kept avoiding it. Was he ashamed? Even with all of the other scars on his body? “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. I chose this fate, I should’ve been dead.”

“Don’t say that!” Dipper touched the burned patches with the weight of a feather. Bill’s eyes snapped to his like he just tried to steal his favorite suit and Dipper flinched back. “I-I can try to heal them. It’s a bit late but...”

Bill relaxed, his voice flat and devoid of hope. “Don’t exert yourself.”

Dipper nodded, bringing both of his hands to the scars. He let his energy flow like he had when he revived Bill. He pulled his hands back, disappointed when there was not much of a difference. “I think it’s been too long… They’re a little more subtle than before. I can’t do much more than this.”

“It’s fine. Thank you.”

It was silent for a while. Bill looked anywhere but at Dipper while he looked at his scars. He still remembered Bill’s grins and smiles. Those expressions that made him feel warm and welcome. Now he only felt coldness. A wall between them.

“What happened to us…?” Dipper asked.

“Desperate times...” Bill put his bandages back on and pulled out his phone. “I’m writing your family you’re awake.”

Dipper frowned. Was Bill trying to avoid him? 

Then it dawned on him. Bill thought he hated him. Bill thought Dipper was playing nice, being the good person he always was even when he only wanted to leave. But no, if Bill actually thought that, he was wrong.

“Bill, I know that you think I hate you because of what you did. I don’t. You made a mistake. Several mistakes. Hard decisions.” Dipper shifted. He had made his own decisions and he couldn’t help but feel hopeful. “I can’t forgive you, not just for myself but for Aeon as well. But I understand why you did it and in the end you came back for us. You realized what you did wrong and hopefully you learned from it.”

Bill didn’t say anything, staring at the black screen of his phone and Dipper couldn’t help but wonder.

Dipper smiled as he thought back on what they had been through. “You know, I cherished the good times we had. I cherished being together with you. For a while we really worked well together.”

Dipper wanted to reach out for Bill’s hand but he had to know first. “...I have to ask, how much of it was real? How much of it was to lure me in?”

Bill stayed silent and Dipper’s smile dropped. Had he really been fooled all this time? But then Bill looked at him, an overwhelming honesty in his expression.

“Honestly? I don’t even know. I think I had feelings for you way before the masquerade. If I didn’t then I could’ve just, you know, sold you right after. I couldn’t. I didn’t want to give up all the time we spent together. And then everything fell apart.” Bill chuckled bitterly. “You deserve someone way better than me, Dipper... I understand if you want to part ways from here.”

“Part ways? Bill, no I-” Dipper wasn’t done talking when an ear shattering squeal attached to a girl who was charging right at them filled the halls. 

“DIPPER! YOU WOKE UP!” Mabel almost threw Dipper off the piano stool but he grabbed onto her at the last second.

“Mabel- please! You’re suffocating me-” Dipper choked, smiling like an idiot. His family was safe.

Mabel sobbed, hugging him even tighter.

“Mabel- please-” And thankfully she let him go, only for him to be crushed by Stan. Dipper laughed. “Do you all  _ want _ me dead!?”

“Shouldn’t you be in bed? Do the nurses know you woke up?” asked Ford.

“Shut up and let us have this moment,” said Stan.

Their moment didn’t last very long since the nurses came rushing in and bringing him back to bed. They did a couple of tests on him to check his vitals and cognitive function before they allowed Mabel, the Stans and Bill into his room.

“Hello again,” Dipper said happily.

Mabel squealed again, hopping to the bed and hugging him once more, this time a lot more gentle. “You have no idea how worried we were!”

Dipper hugged her back, smiling into her soft sweater. “I think I do. You forget you were the first ones to get kidnapped.” Except Dipper wasn’t exactly kidnapped. He glanced at Bill. “I hope you didn’t try to murder Bill.”

“She didn’t but oh does she know how to throw a punch.” Bill grinned, rubbing his nose.

“She learned from the best,” Stan said proudly.

Mabel let Dipper go to shoot a look at Bill. “He deserved it. But he also saved your life and if you’re not angry at him, I won’t be either.”

Dipper still felt conflicted but he guessed that was normal for such a convoluted situation as this one. Though he knew for sure that his feelings for Bill were still very much present. Dipper still believed in the goodness inside of Bill and he thought Bill’s sacrifice was enough to prove it. 

Wait. Where was Aeon? He didn’t think Bill mentioned him at all. And neither did anyone else. He wasn’t- He didn’t die, right?

“What happened to Aeon?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dudes I'm sorry for being a himbo and forgetting to update. I've been grinding in Genshin Impact for like the last week and did almost nothing else :')


	36. Restaurant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Pinetreeshapedtriangles and PicyKitty for commenting on the last chapter!

As soon as the doctors allowed Dipper to leave the hospital, Bill helped him into his car. Dipper was immediately greeted by a very excited Per who practically jumped at him. Dipper smiled, hugging and petting her like he never had. Dipper figured out this had to do something with Aeon but that still didn’t explain why Bill was making such a big mystery out of it. “I’m glad you brought Per but can’t you just tell me what’s going on?”

“I can but I think you’d rather see for yourself.” Bill shut the doors and turned the key, making the engine roar to life. “We’re not going to visit a graveyard.”

Dipper didn’t know what to make of that but knowing Aeon was alive was enough for him. He took a deep breath, watching the building go past them. Bill drove them to the area Dipper lived in and he was gonna ask if Aeon was home but then Bill took a different turn. 

Dipper knew this street. He had done volunteer work here before but that meant-

His blood went cold when the looming grey exterior of the mental hospital towered over them. But this was to be expected, right? Aeon had gone through some majorly traumatizing events. Dipper could call himself lucky that he hadn’t been under Gideon’s wing for as long as Aeon had. Aeon just needed time to recover. He was sure of it.

Dipper flinched when Bill touched his shoulder and Bill instantly pulled it back again. “Sorry, you looked lost in thought…”

“I- no it’s alright. Let’s go in.” Dipper left the car and took a deep breath. He never liked the looks of this place. It was more similar to a prison than a hospital. He only hoped the workers were the same than when he helped out here.

“I understand if you need some time.” Bill let Per jump out of the car before he closed the door. She ran up to the stairs, wagging her tail. She must’ve picked up Aeon’s smell already.

Dipper shook his head, taking a confident step forward even though he didn’t feel all that confident. “No. I’m ready.”

He chewed on his lip as he took the steps up to the main entrance, glancing back at Bill and Per to ground himself. Aeon would be fine. He had to be.

He opened the door. It still looked pretty much like when he left. Grey walls that were cracking open with motivational posters slapped onto the holes.

“Excuse me, Sir, but we don’t allow dogs here,” the man behind the reception said with an annoyed expression.

“Excuse me, Sir, but I think this dog is allowed,” Bill said with a threatening glance and a crack of his knuckles. 

The man quickly looked down at his desk as if he had just found something very important to be working on. Dipper grinned, whistling Per to his side. 

“Follow me.” Bill walked past the posters into a hallway. Into another hallway. And into another hallway. 

Dipper’s gut twisted with every step. They just walked past the dorms for the non-violent and non-suicidal patients. Maybe they had too many right now and Aeon had to stay at another dorm? Or maybe Aeon was in therapy right now and Bill somehow knew exactly where to find him?

Per yapped at him and Dipper stopped for a second to comfort her and himself. “Aeon will be fine. Don’t worry, darling.”

She yapped again before running past Bill down the corridor and through a half open fire door. Was that..? No, they probably changed the dorm plans. Or Per smelled something more interesting than her owner.

“Per!” Dipper sprinted after her, pushing open the heavy fire door. He ran past a kid screaming for someone's name and a woman cowering on the floor. This couldn’t be where they were headed. No way. Dipper came to a stop when Per barked at one of the doors. He bent down to pick her up. “Per you little deviant… Come on, let's go back to-”

Dipper stood up with Per in his arms. His eyes found the name shield beside the door. Aeon Welt. 

Per barked again as Dipper stared at the name. It was him. He was here. Dipper released a shaky breath. Should he open it? Did he want to see what Gideon made of him?

He didn’t want to see. He sincerely wanted to continue living his life under the illusion that Aeon was fine. But he knew he wasn’t. So Dipper opened the door.

Behind it was another door, probably plexiglass. The room it led to was cushioned in white.

He laid on the ground, chest rising and falling. His blue eyes unfocused as always. But Dipper knew Aeon knew. If not for his aura, he would have recognized Per’s barking.

Dipper’s vision became blurry and he only managed to speak in a dry croak. “A-aeon.”

Aeon didn’t move. He didn’t even blink.

Dipper trembled, tears running down his face. “Aeon, I’m so sorry-”

“Who are you,” Aeon said, his voice low and quiet. Devoid of any emotion.

No. Nononono.  _ No. _ Dipper sobbed, his hands holding onto the glass. “I-it’s me! Dipper! We- we have been friends for over four years now! Aeon please!”

But Aeon didn’t show any sign of recognition. No signs of emotion. Nothing. Dipper fell down to his knees, his forehead leaning against the wall as tears spilled onto his pants. There was no way he could’ve just forgotten. They spent so much time together. Shared so many memories.

He heard footsteps from behind him and snapped around, afraid it might be a worker. Bill kneeled down next to him. 

Dipper cried, throwing himself into Bill’s arms. Bill knew exactly how to calm him down and soon, he was only sniffling into his shirt. Dipper looked up, searching for answers. “What happened to him?”

“The doctors weren’t sure but they said it might’ve been a concussion in combination with the trauma he’s been through. His brain might’ve suppressed everything related to-” Bill stopped. “We’re not supposed to mention  _ him _ around Aeon. The last two times he… he tried to kill the worker who said it.”

Dipper sobbed again, feeling more tears coming up. Bill petted his back.

Per barked again, pawing the glass. How was he supposed to explain to her what happened? That her owner didn’t know who she was anymore?

Dipper sniffed and let Bill go, trying to get Per’s attention. “Sweetie…”

But Per was focused on Aeon, barking and wagging her tail. She looked so happy and Dipper wished to be able to be as naive as her. “Per, he doesn’t remember u-us.”

He reached out to hug her but Aeon perked up. “Per…”

Per barked even louder and Aeon came crawling over. Dipper felt a spark of hope flare up within him. Maybe Aeon wasn’t lost yet. Maybe his memories could be restored. 

“What are you doing here?” asked a voice from behind them.

Dipper flinched around, looking up at one of the workers. “W-we-”

Bill stood up, helping Dipper up as well. “We’re here to give this man his dog.”

“I’m sorry but we don’t allow pets.” The worker got out a ring of keys. “Now get out. You’re not supposed to be in here.”

Bill smiled dangerously, grabbed the key right from the workers hands and unlocked the plexiglass door to let Per in. She practically bombarded Aeon with kisses and if Dipper wasn’t hallucinating, he saw a small smile on Aeon’s lips.

The worker stuttered, trying to grasp the key before Bill gave it back

“The dog stays. I’ll pay for her needs.” Bill put an arm around Dipper. “We should probably go before they call the police on me.”

Dipper looked back at Aeon, reunited with Per. He would miss her but Aeon needed her more. Aeon had suffered so much because of him. So much so that he even forgot Dipper. He couldn’t begin to imagine what he must’ve been through and it pained him deeply. She was their hope at making him feel better- Maybe even making him remember. 

Dipper nodded, making a silent promise to himself to visit Aeon as often as he could.

Bill brought him out and drove him back to his hospital room. “You better get a good night's sleep because tomorrow will be a busy day.”

Dipper yawned. The emotional strain had really worn him out. “I doubt it could be any more taxing than today.”

Bill hummed, seeming excited. “Well, you’re probably right but I’ll assume that’s a good thing.”

Dipper smiled. He was looking forward to whatever Bill had planned. He could tell that whatever this was was very important to Bill. “Alright. See you then.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Dipper had hoped for a goodnight kiss but Bill only patted his shoulder and it made Dipper wonder. Did Bill think he didn’t want to be together anymore or did Bill stop considering them anything beyond friends, if friends at all?

**▽▽▽**

Bill tapped over the left side of his face, looking at his reflection through the mirror in his lounge at Limbo. He had been dreading this as much as he’d been excited for it. Stepping into the public. Luckily, he had enough money to afford an artist who could cover up his facial scarring for the most part.

He sighed, still not content with what he saw. People would be snapping millions of pictures of him today and half of them would point out how weird he looked and ask what he was hiding. Bill opened his mouth to rehearse the greeting but somehow it just didn’t feel right. 

He was very excited. Incredibly excited even, but when he thought of going up on that stage for people to see his scars… he felt like someone tied a rope around his throat and kicked him in the guts.

Bill sighed. This was pointless. He rushed through the halls of his old casino. The gambling tables still stood there, with a few adjustments however. The velvet tops had been covered with a layer of glass to make spillage easier to remove. They wouldn’t be used for gambling anymore anyways.

Bill threw open the doors to the kitchen. “Jimbo? Tad? Are you ready? The press is waiting outside.” 

Jimbo practically jumped away from Tad who sat on the counter, coughing awkwardly. “Yes! We’re ready!”

“I know I said I would hold the speech but… can you two do it?” Bill asked hesitantly. “I don’t… feel so well.”

“Of course! We’ll do it, no worries!” Jimbo said.

What a relief. “Thank you two. I’m gonna sneak into the crowd.”

“Sure thing, big boy.”

Bill left. He wanted to be outside before the re-reopening happened so he wrangled his way through the chaos of employees running around and got out through the back door. He walked around the building where a small audience and a load of paparazzi had gathered. Great, now how the hell was he gonna find Dipper in all that mess without getting their attention?

“Excuse me.” He pushed through the crowd, staying far away from the cameras while looking for those curly brown locks at chest height.

“Bill!” Dipper called from behind him.

He grinned. Of course Dipper would see him first, the tiny gremlin. “Sorry I left you alone like this but as you can imagine, I was pretty busy.”

“It’s fine! I’m really excited to hear your speech today. You asshole didn’t even tell me what this is about,” Dipper nudged his right side.

“Actually I won't be holding the speech today.”

“What? Why?”

“It’s-”

Jimbo and Tad stepped onto the little stage Bill had organized for today. Jimbo did a mic check which obviously resulted in sharp sounds and the audience groaning collectively. “Sorry!”

Tad took the mic. “Ladies and Gentlemen, everyone in between, we are incredibly excited you have all come here this fine evening.”

Bill held his breath.

“Bill, Tad and I have been working day and night to be able to stand here today and present to you; restaurant and hotel bar, the  _ new _ Limbo!” Jimbo shouted.

The crowd applauded. Bill sighed. He had expected a riot.

Dipper grabbed his arm, eyes shining in intrigue. “You made the casino into a restaurant?”

“Yep. All the illegal stuff got too boring for me so I thought ‘hey, why not abide by the laws for once and stop robbing people’, ” Bill joked. Partially.

“Wait, really!?” Dipper smiled. “Bill, I’m so proud of you!”

Bill laughed. “I’m glad we met, you know. Limbo might be a drug cartel by now if we didn’t.” 

“I’m glad too.”

Bill loved how Dipper looked up at him. So dreamy and pure. He wanted to lean down and kiss him again. It had been so long. But no, Dipper hadn't said anything about wanting to go back to dating so Bill refrained.

He turned back to face the stage, not being able to listen to the speech because of how often his thoughts shifted back to the angel beside him. Finally, it ended and people were let inside.

**▽▽▽**

Dipper expected for Bill to lean down and kiss him by the look in his eyes but then he turned away just as Dipper debated breaching the gap. He didn’t. They really needed to talk.

“Do you want to come with me?” Bill asked after the speech ended, motioning towards the entrance. “I have to warn you though, I have a lot to do and we’ll be running around a lot.”

Dipper smiled, reaching out for Bill’s arm and winding his own around it. “I’ll gladly help out.”

Bill stared at him for a second before they went into the building. People were calling out to Bill from the crowd but he didn’t even acknowledge them, he even started walking faster as if he didn’t want to talk to anyone. Bill and not wanting to talk? Yeah, something was wrong for sure. However, Dipper didn’t find time to bring this up since Bill unhooked his arm and walked over to Jimbo and Tad.

Jimbo looked up from a list Tad was showing him. “Bill, everything good?” 

“I’m good, yes-” Bill said. “You guys did great, by the way. Do I need to take care of anything?”

“Actually yes. We’re missing some menu cards and we think they’re in your office. It’s locked and we don’t have a key,” Tad said.

Bill nodded. “Remind me to get you two keys later. I’ll go grab the menus.”

“Thanks, sweet cheeks.” Jimbo grabbed a pen to cross out some things on Tad’s list.

Bill practically ran off before Dipper could say anything. He sighed and went to Jimbo. “Hey.”

“What’s up, munchkin?” 

“Okay so… this is kinda stupid.” Dipper scratched his arm, unsure if he should ask at all. “Do you think Bill has been acting weird lately? I feel like something is off.”

“Hm? You mean besides the usual weirdness? No, I don’t think so.”

Dipper hummed. “Alright, thanks anyways.”

Jimbo put the list down. “Why? What’s wrong?”

Dipper bit his lip. Jimbo may actually be able to help him out. “I just feel like Bill and I have been kind of… distant? And I guess that’s normal for what happened but I think Bill is avoiding me in a way. I can tell he wants to be around me but something is stopping him from being affectionate.”

“Did you two ever settle your relationship status?”

“...I guess not?”

“Well, Bill probably thinks it’s not his right to be affectionate with you anymore. You two need to clear things up.”

“Okay, thank you, Jimbo.”

“No problem!”

Dipper went off through the crowd until he got to the less busy hallways and eventually, Bill’s office. Hopefully he was still there or Dipper would have to wait a lot longer to settle this. 

He entered the room and indeed, Bill stood in front of his desk with his back turned while flipping through what Dipper assumed to be one of the menus.

“Bill?”

Bill slammed the book shut on his desk and turned around. “Yes?”

If that wasn’t suspicious then Dipper didn’t know what was. He walked over to the desk to see the book but Bill snatched it away. “Bill, what are you hiding?”

“It’s just a misprinted menu. Nothing special.”

Dipper pulled his brows up in disbelief. He wasn’t gonna let him get away with this.

Bill sighed in defeat. “It’s… a photo album.”

“Oh? Of what?” Dipper held his hands out.

Bill’s lips pressed into a line but after a couple more seconds, he gave the book to Dipper. 

Dipper brushed over the dark blue cover. What could be in this? He opened it carefully. The first page had four pictures, three of them depicting two women and a child in a restaurant. The fourth one was a family picture with who Dipper assumed to be relatives of the three. “Is this… you and your moms?”

“Yeah…”

He flipped the page, smiling at a picture of tiny Bill carrying two pasta plates which looked huge in comparison to his body. Right next to it was one where Bill was a bit older, opening his mouth wide to take a huge bite of pizza. His hair had been completely brown back then but there was no mistaking it was Bill with the brilliant color of his eyes. “Did you just find this again or why did you look at it?”

“Running a restaurant reminded me of them… I used to help out when I was younger, they said I practically started cooking before I could walk.” Bill’s gaze was distant, as if he stared right into the past but then his eyes snapped to Dipper. “Anyways. Why did you come after me?”

Oh, right. Dipper almost forgot. “I just wanted to talk… about…”

Damn it, Dipper. Just say the thing. But he felt like he was on a rollercoaster and not the good kind. What if Bill was actually over him? Maybe he found someone else while Dipper was out? Bill was so handsome and charismatic, he was bound to have met potential partners during that time.

“Yes?” Bill asked.

“Actually, nevermind.” He would ask later. When they weren’t at a restaurant reopening. “What about your moms though? It seems like you miss them.”

“Honestly…? I really do. But it’s just- what if they’re mad at me? I haven’t seen them in so long… What if they find out about all of this? Don’t you think they will be angry? Or scared?”

“Then they will also find out how you’re trying to change things, Bill.” Dipper wanted to reach out to Bill but he found himself not being able to do so. Was this how Bill felt? “Your moms seem really sweet. I think they’ll just be happy to see you.”

Bill sighed, leaning against the table. He was silent for a while. “I know they still live just right outside town…”

“Then go meet them! I’ll come with you- if you want me to, that is.”

“I… alright.”

“Bill, please. Your moms must miss you so- wait. Did you just say ‘alright’?”

Bill grinned. “You’re being too cute for your own good, okay?”

Dipper smiled. He felt accomplished. He really hoped Bill would feel like he felt when Dipper met his family. “I’ll be at your place tomorrow at noon. No take backs.”

Bill rolled his eyes. “Sure. Let’s go bring Tad and Jimbo the menu cards.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... this is the second to last chapter already. Well, if you don't count the unfinished bonus chapter. I am not sure if that one will ever get out BUT it also isn't necessary for the story at all. See you (hopefully) on Saturday with the ending and with a little one shot that isn't related to this au.


	37. Ties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And one last time, thank you to everyone for reading, leaving kudos and commenting! Thanks to Pinetreeshapedtriangles and Sketches_ofDirections for commenting on the previous chapter! And of course, thank you to Ging and Ry for helping me out. WIthout them this fic would be a lot more chaotic. 
> 
> I'm really glad this fic was well enjoyed. I hope this chapter can bring you some more of that joy.

Bill rubbed his fingers over the leather wheel of his fancy sports car. While he was thankful for Dipper helping him commit to the idea of meeting his moms, he still really didn’t want to do it. Well, that’s a lie. He did want to do it, he just hadn’t known prior to his hospital stay.

Bill had been glad to see Dipper reunited with his family but everytime he saw them feelings came up. Envy. Jealousy. And sadness. Not because Dipper spent time with people that weren’t him, no he understood that. He himself loved spending time with other people like Jimbo. Bill realized he was jealous of having a family. 

So he made the decision to go visit his moms. Though he probably wouldn’t have actually put his ass in the car and started driving if Dipper wasn’t there. He felt like throwing up.

Maybe they wouldn’t be home. They were at work. On a Sunday. Not unusual for restaurants and hotels. He would ring their bell. Nobody would answer. And then he could leave again.

“Bill, don’t worry so much. From what you told me about them, they seem really nice! They’ll be happy to see you!” Dipper put his hand on Bill’s thigh. “You have to understand if they’re a bit upset. They have every right to be. You’re the one that ran off.”

Bill sighed. “I know you’re right but that doesn’t help my desire to puke all over the place or swivel off the road to take a bath in the river.”

“ _ Please _ don’t swivel off the road. I really like my hair today.”

Bill snorted. His hand ruffled through Dipper’s hair before he could stop himself.

It took another hour of boring speed limit driving through crowded streets until they finally arrived at their destination. A small but charming house with a garden in the outskirts of town, surrounded by desert. It looked like a little oasis. 

In front of the house stood a car. Of course they were home.

Bill parked on the street. Nobody ever drove by here anyways.

He glanced into the mirror to see if he looked okay. He didn’t.

A warm hand touched his shoulder. “Hey. You’re their son. They won’t care if you have a scar on your face or a tomato for a nose.”

That actually managed to make him smile just a little. But not for long. “I don’t feel ready to face them. What if they send me away?”

“Trust me, they won’t.”

“Okay…” Bill opened the car door and stood up. He walked over to Dipper to open his side too. Then he bit his lip with a glance to the house. Maybe they were taking a walk? 

Dipper took his hand with a reassuring smile. “You can do it.”

“Let’s get this over with…”

The walk across the street was almost agonizing. Not speaking of the desert sun. 

Finally, they stood right in front of the door which had a ‘Willkommen’ shield decorated with flowers hanging on it. They had a different one back in the day but some idiot stole it.

A gentle nudge from Dipper reminded him why he was here. Right.

He lifted a shaky hand to the doorbell. Rip off the bandaid.

A bright ringing could be heard from the inside of the house. Footsteps.

Bill’s heart beat so fast he might as well have run a marathon.

A muffled voice with a heavy italian accent. “I wonder who that is! Unusual for a Sunday-”

The door opened. In front of him stood the blonde woman with her brilliant eyes. Madre hadn’t changed much except she was now two heads shorter than him instead of one. 

Bill didn’t know what to say. Something clattered to the floor.

“Alles okay, Schatz?” Another woman entered the hallway. Mama was a bit taller than the other. Dark green eyes with chocolate hair. “Bill.  _ Bill! _ ”

Before he could even open his mouth, the two of them hugged him. If they weren’t his moms he would assume they were trying to kill him with how hard they squeezed. “Oof-”

Bill was overwhelmed by feelings. He didn’t know whether to shout. To cry. So he just hugged them back.

“Bill- darling- my sweet boy-” Madre sobbed into his shirt. She backed off a little bit, wiping at her tears. “S-sorry. You are a grown man now. I’m just- We missed you so much!”

“Komm her.” Bill pulled her back in with a gentle smile. 

After hugging for about half an hour, his Mama had the glorious idea to sit and talk over some fresh cake. He bet Dipper’s feet hurt from standing in place for so long but he appreciated that he didn’t interrupt the moment. He’d make it up to him later.

They sat down on the living room couch. The same one he used to do his homework on as a kid.

Bill didn’t know where to start. “So…” 

“So! What have you been up to?” asked Mama, excitement reflecting in her eyes.

Bill looked at Dipper, then back at his moms. “I have… a business. A company.” He pointedly didn’t mention the former casino.

“Un uomo d'affari!”

Bill smiled. “Una specie di. I actually opened a restaurant yesterday.”

Madre gasped. “The one called um- Limbo? I saw the articles about it online.”

“Yeah, that’s the one.”

“Glad to see you didn’t follow our financial footsteps,” his mom joked. “We could’ve guessed by the anonymous sums we got every half a year.”

“Yeah about that, I’m sorry I couldn’t make it this time, there have been-”

“Bill. Darling. We don’t even need one million to live. We haven’t spent a whole million in all these years. What are we supposed to do with twelve million a year?”

“Well, I wanted to make sure you could afford whatever you wanted. That’s what a son does, is it not?” Not to speak of feeling like he owed them for being such a mess.

Both of his mom's laughed. 

Dipper snorted. “You know, I’m not even surprised by this.”

“It would've been more than enough if you’d just visited us every half year! We love you, dear, and you don’t owe us any money!”

“Il tuo ragazzo è simpatico.”

Bill scratched his head. “Non siamo… È complicato.”

“What are they talking about?” Dipper asked Mama.

She chuckled. “The weather.”

After hours of talking to his moms, catching up and joking around, it was time to leave. His moms brought them to the door and they gave each other long hugs.

“Promise you won’t leave us again, okay?” Mom cupped his cheek with a gentle smile.

Bill smiled too. He was glad to say he could swear on it this time. “I promise. I’m happy to have you two back.”

“We’re even happier!” Mom gave him a kiss on the nose. “Be safe.”

“You too.” Bill waved at them as he turned to walk to his car but he stopped after just a couple steps. “Actually before I leave um… I wanted to ask you something.”

Madre perked up. “Sì?” 

“I know this is kind of a lot to ask after we just met again but… would you two like to come work at my restaurant for old times sake? We need all the skilled hands we can get.”

“Of course! I would love to, darling!” Mama turned to Madre. “What about you, Schatz?”

“Yes, of course!”

Bill smiled. “Really? I promise I’ll pay you well for quitting your jobs for me.”

“Bill, you have no idea how much I would love this! I don’t want to hold you up any longer so let’s meet up again soon to discuss, okay?”

“Yes! Goodbye you two!” Bill said.

“Ciao!”

Bill sighed big time when he sat down in the car and Dipper smiled at him.

“That wasn't so bad, was it?”

“It really wasn’t.” Bill felt great, actually. “Thank you for helping me.”

“No problem.”

Bill drove back a lot more gently than he usually would have, and this time not because he dreaded his destination. The ride was silent, but comfortably so. Having seen his moms again felt very good.

**▽▽▽**

When he got home the night Bill opened his restaurant, Dipper had been thinking. About them, specifically. And he thought back and forth, back and forth. Should he ask him to be his boyfriend? What would he say? What if he didn’t want to? Bill was more of a casual person, commitment wasn’t his thing. Or it hadn’t been, at least.

Before he knew it, it was noon on the next day and he went to see Bill’s moms with him. They distracted him for a while but it was only so long until they left again. Dipper stared out of the car, watching the sun approach the mountains and skyscrapers. Okay. He had to do it eventually so he might as well do it with nice scenery. 

Dipper cleared his throat. “Bill, can you pull over?”

“Hm? Why?” Bill glanced at him.

“I-” Well… he didn’t want to be too straight forward. “I wanna watch the sunset.”

“Of course you do.” 

Bill’s smile pulled on Dipper’s heart. He could already feel the pain of rejection deep within him. But no, he had to ask, otherwise they wouldn’t become a couple in a billion years. And if Bill didn’t want to, then that was fine. They could be friends. Dipper could still come over for dinner. They could still have fun together.

Bill pulled over and Dipper jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped rolling, taking a very deep breath. He palmed the fabric of his shirt with sweaty hands. 

The sun made the sky look like a sea of gold. The few clouds shimmering pink and purple. If this wasn’t romantic, then Dipper didn’t know what was. 

Bill turned off the engine and sat down on the hood of the car, motioning for Dipper to do the same. 

Dipper hopped up, careful not to scrape the paint and dangled his feet off the hood. He chewed on his lip violently. He just had to ask him already. It wasn’t that hard. He only needed to open his mouth. 

Bill took his word. “I guess we’ve both met each other's families now, huh?”

Dipper swallowed the lump in his throat, chuckling nervously. “So when’s the engagement?”

It sounded terribly awkward but Bill didn’t seem to care and ran with it. “ _ Engagement _ ? How many dates have we been on?”

“Like… three?” Dipper grinned.

Bill snorted. “Oh, that’s enough, I guess I’ll go get a ring.”

“I won’t accept it unless it’s a donut.”

“That can easily be arranged!” Bill typed on his phone dramatically and then put it to his ear. “Hey Jimmy, your ol’ pal needs a ring sized donut.”

Dipper playfully punched his shoulder. “You’re cheaping out on me? I see how it is. Can’t even have a full sized one, huh?” 

“You gold digger, I don’t have the money for that!” 

Dipper chuckled. The sun was almost gone now. A deep red. He had to ask before it was gone. No more procrastinating. 

“Bill…” Okay. He was gonna ask now. Right now. He was ready. “What am I to you?” 

Nevermind. He hadn’t been ready. His heartbeat instantly spiked to hell and back as his leg tapped against the side of the car more rapidly the longer Bill stayed silent. It was kind of an odd thing to ask… Dipper was about to apologize for the weird question when Bill finally said something.

“Huh… You’re a great person, a friend. A good one.” 

Dipper’s gut sank. “A friend…?”

Bill looked at him in curiosity. “You were…  _ are _ a romantic interest. Even if it’s one sided.”

Dipper snorted, feeling relieved. Bill liked him. Like liked him. He was just too much of a himbo to see Dipper was still interested as well. “It’s not one sided though!”

“Is it not?” Bill looked taken aback.

“No! I… actually really want to see where we would go together.” Dipper couldn’t help but smile at the irony. He pretty much hated Bill at the start and for good reasons. Most of what had happened still didn’t make sense to him. “I don’t know which messed up part of my brain decided it would be a good idea to want to be together with you but I-” 

The last rays of sunlight glided over Bill’s face, making his eyes shimmer. Dipper didn’t see any of his scars. He didn’t see the compression garments or the man’s troubled past. Dipper only saw Bill. Sure, he was flawed, but damn was he gorgeous, inside and out. 

Just say it dammit. Dipper cleared his throat. “I think I have… feelings for you... and I would like to be in a relationship.” 

Dipper took a deep breath. He said it. It was out there. He looked down, waiting for an answer as his heart drummed against his chest, pumping adrenaline through him. “Sorry I… I understand if you don’t want that.”

**▽▽▽**

Bill waited for a punchline. Something to indicate Dipper was joking but it never came. He struggled to find words in disbelief. “You could probably get anyone out there and you want to waste that on me? After everything I’ve done?”

“I’m not wasting it! We’ve been through so much together, look how much you changed!”

“But I don’t want you to change me.” Bill said. “That’s unfair to you. I need to change on my own.”

“You  _ are _ changing on your own!  _ You _ made the decision to come back to get me, didn’t you?”

Well, Jimbo had motivated him but ultimately it had been his decision. It had been his decision to risk his own life to save Dipper’s. And he had totally flipped his business on its head completely alone. Dipper had pushed him and now he was changing on his own.

“You’ve always had a golden heart inside your chest.” Dipper gently tapped his sternum. “I’m just bringing it out. Trust me, if I thought I’d have to do all the work then I wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”

Bill didn’t feel like he had a golden heart. He sighed. “I just want to make sure you’re not doing this out of… pity or because you feel responsible. I don’t want to pull you down.”

“See, that’s what I mean, golden heart! When we first met you would never have said that.” Dipper’s smile dropped shortly after. “But seriously… if you don’t want a relationship, that’s fine.”

“No- We could try…”

Dipper looked at Bill sceptically. To be fair, that hadn’t sounded very convincing at all, even to Bill himself. “Do you want to? Be in a relationship, I mean.”

Bill looked into the distance for a while, watching as the sun slowly slid behind the mountains. Did he want to? That meant no more fooling around with strangers. No more clubbing whenever he wanted. Possibly no more drugs, knowing Dipper. 

But somehow… he didn’t care. If he could be with Dipper, he didn’t need any of it.

Bill chuckled. Who would’ve thought this was what he needed. Not money and not power. No diamond studded fridge. He chuckled softly, smiling as he turned to Dipper. “I’d love to.”

What had he done to deserve him? He didn’t know but he thanked the universe for making them meet.

The last rays of sunlight glided over Dipper’s face, hitting his eyes just right to make them shimmer. He leaned forward as Bill bent down.

The sun was gone but Bill felt warmer than ever. With his lips on Dipper’s and arm around his waist, Bill no longer felt empty. 

He felt content.

Truly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND we're done! After 8 months, we're done. There is still the possibility of the bonus chapter going up so I won't set it to finished just yet. 
> 
> EDIT: The bonus chapter will never arrive :') 
> 
> If you are hungry to read more, I just uploaded a one shot that isn't related to this AU. You can always find my art and updates on my social media so feel free to check those out if you want to.
> 
> Thank you for reading. Let's see what the future will bring.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on:
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/terroiart/  
> https://twitter.com/TerroiArt
> 
> And on most other sites. I'm TerroiArt everywhere but I mostly use Insta and Twitter. I do art in case you didn't guess already.


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